An ultrasound-based referential of body height-adjusted normal liver organometry in school children from Bokito in rural Cameroon.

The grading system for ultrasonographic assessment of Schistosoma mansoni morbidity is crucial for evaluation of control programs. This requires prior definition of normal liver organometric ranges in the population from the endemic area. A cross-sectional study was conducted in a S. mansoni endemic area in rural Cameroon. 1002 Participants were screened and 234 of them, free from all common liver-affecting diseases in the area (schistosomiasis, malaria, hepatitis B and C) and with no ultrasonographic signs of liver disease were selected and their liver parameters measured by ultrasonography. All statistics were considered significant for p-values < 0.05. Normal dimensions of livers lobe sizes, portal vein wall thickness and portal vein diameters are reported. The liver organometric data are presented for the entire study population as a whole and separately for males and females as prediction plots, with observed values and fitted regression line with 95% confidence. Reference ranges for liver parameters (size, portal vein thickness and diameter) adjusted for body height established in the current study are novel for Cameroon. The prediction plots generated should improve the accuracy of the assessment of liver morbidity by ultrasonography in the region.

Negative Association of Interleukin-33 Plasma Levels and Schistosomiasis Infection in a Site of Polyparasitism in Rural Cameroon.

Background: This study aimed to investigate the association of plasma levels of IL-33, a mucosal alarmin known to elicit type-2 immunity, with infection and liver fibrosis profiles of school children from an endemic area for Schistosoma mansoni, malaria and hepatitis (B & C) in rural Cameroon. Methods: A cross-sectional study enrolling schoolchildren from 5 public schools was conducted. Single schistosomiasis, malaria and hepatitis infections or co-infections were assessed by kato katz, microscopy, and rapid diagnostic tests, respectively. Hepatic fibrosis was assessed by ultrasound according to WHO Niamey guidelines and plasma levels of Interleukin 33 were determined by ELISA. All statistics were performed using R studio software. Principal findings: We found a prevalence of 13.5% (37/275), 18.2% (50/275), and 8% (22/275), respectively for schistosomiasis, malaria and hepatitis (B or C) single infections. Only 7.6% (21/275) of co-infections were reported. Although Plasma IL-33 showed a minimal negative risk for schistosomiasis infection (AOR 0.99; 95% CI 0.97-1.01), S. mansoni infected participants had lower levels of plasma IL-33 (p = 0.003) which decreased significantly as eggs burdens increased (p = 0.01) with a negative Pearson coefficient of r = -0.22. Hepatic fibrosis occurred in 47.3% (130/275) of our study population independently from plasma levels of IL-33 (AOR 1.00; 95% CI 0.99-1.01). Conclusion/Significance: Our data failed to show an association between plasma IL-33 levels and liver disease but convincingly report on a negative association between plasma IL-33 levels and schistosomiasis infection and egg burden in school children from a polyparasitic schistosomiasis endemic area.