Current Organisation

La Faculté de Médecine, DPM-USS

Current Job Title

Head of Department

Biography

Project Title

EDCTP-GSK fellowship: Contribution of intestinal parasite infections in the risk of developing cardio-metabolic diseases in rural and urban areas of Gabon and Côte d’Ivoire: a pilot study.

EDCTP Project Call

Senior Fellowship (SF)

Host Organisation

Project Objectives

The ParCaM study will estimate and compare the frequency of cardio-metabolic diseases risk factors (CMDRF), including metabolic syndrome, hypertension, and inflammatory biomarkers in individuals with or without intestinal parasite infection (IPIs). Differences between specific age groups, type of parasitism (protozoa, helminths) and geographical (urban versus rural) areas will be emphasized. In addition, risk groups will be identified.

Study Design

Observational

Project Summary

Almost 2,000 were approached, among them 1035 were included. The prevalence of IPI was 34.8%/ It was significantly higher in rural (58.1%) than urban (13.0%) areas. Schistosoma spp was not found? Helminths (STH) predominated in rural sites while protozoan parasites were more frequently detected in urban inhabitants. Polyparasitism was also more frequent in rural sites. The prevalence of modifiable CMD risk factors was high (more than 80%), both in urban and rural study sites. Gender differences in CMD risk factor prevalence was observed with the predominance of tobacco use and alcohol consumption in men, and of insufficient activity, obesity and metabolic syndrome in women, irrespective of the study area. Apart from physical activity, other behavioural NCD risk factors predominated in rural settings. There was a high prevalence of multiple RF per individual. These results suggest a correlation between IPIs, especially STHs, and CMDRF such as biomarkers related to lipid metabolism. IPIs were not found as risk factors for high Framingham risk score rate, after the multivariate analysis. None of the followed participants had a new cardiovascular event. However, the comparison of the rates of CMDRF showed that hyperglycaemia prevalence did not changed in any groups. Hypertriglyceridemi, pre HBP, Obesity and overweight prevalence decreased in urban sites, but not in rural ones, where the prevalence rates remained comparable. Participants who were followed-up were screened for IPI, CMD and CMDRF at each visit. No CMD event was noticed or reported during the follow-up period. The analysis of cytokine levels showed a trend toward an association between IL10 and TNF alpha, both involved in the inflammation response and the occurrence of an IPI during the follow-up.

Results & Outcomes