Article Sidebar
Article Details
Submission of a paper for publication implies the transfer of the copyright from the author(s) to the publisher upon acceptance. International Formulae Group is therefore the copyright holder after publication of an article in International Journal of Biological and Chemical Sciences, and published articles should not be used for commercial purpose without the written consent of the Editor-in-Chief. They are licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Non Commercial-Share Alike 4.0 International License.
Main Article Content
Non-classical reproductive tract infections on the rise in women in Dschang, Cameroon
Abstract
Health promotion and education, wide coverage and pinpointing impediments to the realization of prevailing measures are among primary interventions for sexually transmitted infections (STIs). This work sought to establish STIs burden and related risk factors in women consulting gynecologists and general practitioners in some health centres in Dschang, Cameroon. For seven consecutive months, in a cross-sectional study, 1009 heterosexual women were examined; 353 (35%) symptomatic patients aged 15-46 years (mean 31±3.3years) consented and were interviewed using a questionnaire. Vaginitis was diagnosed by symptoms, positive cultures, and testing of blood and cervical specimens for antibodies to Treponema pallidum and Chlamydia trachomatis respectively. Infections recorded 45% under gynecological care and 14% for general consultations (p< 0.001), with an alarming 84% of general consultation cases without any intention of STIs screens or having future gynecologic appointments. Multiple sexual partners, early sexual debut, poverty, poor sanitation, recurrent infections, tight underwear, no barrier protection or irregular condom use and using chemicals in the vagina were recorded risks. Infectious vaginitis was identified in 300 (30%) patients, 53(5%)
cases were non –infectious and 60% had multiple infections. Bacterial vaginosis (28%) and vaginal candidiasis (21%) predominated. Rates for C. trachomatis, Neisseria gonorrhoeae, Trichomonas vaginalis, Phthirus pubis,
infectious syphilis, genital warts and genital herpes were < 2%. The present findings portrayed: STIs not given prime consideration under general practice, and a rising trend for non-traditional genital diseases due to poor hygiene and reproductive health knowledge deficiency. Health and sanitary campaigns, and mandatory gynecological exams for individuals of reproductive age were inevitable.
Keywords: reproductive tract infections, women, pathogens, risk factors, prevention, Cameroon.
