Malaria and Geohelminthiasis: Their Prevalence and Impact on Iron Stores Parameters of School Aged Children 5 to 10 Years in the Buea Municipality, Cameroon

Aims: To determine the prevalence of malaria and geohelminthiasis and to assess their impact on iron stores of school children around Buea Municipality, Cameroon.

Study Design: It was a cross-sectional comparative study.

Place and Duration of Study: The study was carried out amongst primary school children in Buea Municipality, Cameroon, between the 1st of May to 27th of July 2015.

Methodology: We included 388 primary school children (188 males, 200 females; age range 5-10 years). Structured questionnaires were used to obtain sociodemographic data and venepuncture technique was used to collect blood samples. Stool samples were collected in stool containers. Malaria prevalence, red cell indices and iron studies were determined using Giemsa-stained thin and thick films, automated haematology analyser and ELISA methods respectively. Quantitative estimation geohelminthe ova was done using the Kato-katz method. The participants were divided into different infectious groups.

Results: The overall prevalence of malaria and geohelminthiasis were 38.4%, 149 (95% CI: 33.2, 43.6) and 19.8%, 77 (95% CI: 15.8, 23.8) respectively. There was a significant increase in ferritin levels (P=.03) and soluble transferrin receptors (P<.001) in the infection groups when compared to the control group. Conversely, haemoglobin levels in the various infection groups were significantly reduced (P<.001) when compared to the control group.

Conclusion: Malaria and geohelminthiasis continues to infect school children with some of the iron store parameters being significantly raised across the various infection groups including malaria only and geohelminthiasis only groups, with haemoglobin levels significantly reduced when compared to the control group. Anaemia caused by malaria is as result of iron sequestration in the storage compartment.