Knowledge and Practices of Four Onchocerciasis-Endemic Communities in Cameroon.

ABSTRACT: In onchocerciasis-endemic communities, black fly vectors of Onchocerca volvulus cause annoyance. No vector control was performed in Cameroon to complement ivermectin treatment despite high fly densities in the savannah and forest areas. This study assessed the knowledge and practices of four onchocerciasis-endemic communities in Sudan and the Guinea savannah in Cameroon. We surveyed four communities using a structured questionnaire. We interviewed 452 individuals (Mawong: 136, Befang: 160, Soramboum: 88, and Galim: 68) aged 14-50 years. Most respondents (90%) knew about black flies being a nuisance but had misconceptions about their bite's effect, location, and season. Only 9.3% knew that black fly bites could lead to blindness, whereas 34.1% correctly regarded evenings as the bitin

SUBMITTER: Pierre K 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12029838 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature