Annales de la Societe belge de medecine tropicale
Volume 70, Issue 3, 1990, Pages 203-211

Campaign against the vectors of onchocerciasis in the surroundings of a refugee camp located in a savanna zone of Cameroon [Lutte contre les vecteurs de l'onchocercose aux alentours d'un camp de réfugiés situé en zone de savane du Cameroun.] (Article)

Hougard J.M.* , Lochouarn L. , Escaffre H. , Le Goff G. , Prud'hom J.M. , Quillévéré D.
  • a Entomologistes médicaux de l'ORSTOM, Service d'Entomologie Médicale, Centre Pasteur du Cameroun, Yaoundé.
  • b Entomologistes médicaux de l'ORSTOM, Service d'Entomologie Médicale, Centre Pasteur du Cameroun, Yaoundé.
  • c Entomologistes médicaux de l'ORSTOM, Service d'Entomologie Médicale, Centre Pasteur du Cameroun, Yaoundé.
  • d Entomologistes médicaux de l'ORSTOM, Service d'Entomologie Médicale, Centre Pasteur du Cameroun, Yaoundé.
  • e Entomologistes médicaux de l'ORSTOM, Service d'Entomologie Médicale, Centre Pasteur du Cameroun, Yaoundé.
  • f Entomologistes médicaux de l'ORSTOM, Service d'Entomologie Médicale, Centre Pasteur du Cameroun, Yaoundé.

Abstract

In view of the risks of onchocerciasis facing Chadian refugees who have settled in a camp in a savanna hyperendemic area of northern Cameroon, the authors concluded that a vector control directed against the black fly larvae located on small seasonal tributaries of the main water course of this area should be carried out during the four to five months of the rainy season, i.e., during the whole period of transmission of this disease. The operations were undertaken during two consecutive rainy seasons. The first year consisted in developing ground-based control techniques and evaluating the larvicidal efficacy at the larval level. The second year was, particularly, devoted to the study of the impact of the vector control on the biting rate and on the transmission of onchocerciasis. Every week, three of the tributaries close to the camp were treated with an Emulsifiable Concentrate of temephos. Throughout the rainy season, the larvicide eliminated almost all the pre-adult black fly stages on these water courses. At the point in a high onchocercal endemicity area, it also reduced the biting rate by 60% and the Annual Transmission Potential by 72%, i.e., to values corresponding to the lower meso-endemicity threshold. Since these results were obtained at a very unfavourable point from the standpoint of black fly density and onchocerciasis transmission, the authors consider that vector control carried out under these conditions protects the local populations and the Chadian refugees effectively from black fly bites and a risk of severe onchocerciasis.

Author Keywords

[No Keywords available]

Index Keywords

parasitology Cameroon Simuliidae fly Seasons ethnology methodology insect control temefos Article animal disease transmission season Chad Onchocerciasis human Support, Non-U.S. Gov't English Abstract
Link
https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-0025484476&partnerID=40&md5=644dc52c5278334a317b909bacdece8b
ISSN: 03656527
Cited by: 1
Original Language: French