John Njuma Libwea1, Marie Kobela2, Paul Koki Ndombo3, Ritva K Syrjänen4, Heini Huhtala5, Ninying Fointama6, Sinata Koulla-Shiro7, Hanna Nohynek4, J Pekka Nuorti8, Arto A Palmu8. 1. Epidemiology/Health Sciences, Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Tampere, Finland; Expanded Programme on Immunization, Cameroon; National Institute for Health and Welfare (THL), Finland. Electronic address: Libwea_j@yahoo.com. 2. Expanded Programme on Immunization, Cameroon; Faculty of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, University of Yaoundé 1, Cameroon. 3. Mother & Child Center (MCH), Chantal Biya Foundation, Yaoundé, Cameroon; Faculty of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, University of Yaoundé 1, Cameroon. 4. National Institute for Health and Welfare (THL), Finland. 5. Epidemiology/Health Sciences, Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Tampere, Finland. 6. Faculty of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, University of Yaoundé 1, Cameroon. 7. Faculty of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, University of Yaoundé 1, Cameroon; Ministry of Public Health, Yaoundé, Cameroon. 8. Epidemiology/Health Sciences, Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Tampere, Finland; National Institute for Health and Welfare (THL), Finland.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Acute otitis media is a common illness in children under-five years of age and associated with major health care resources in high-income countries. However, there is paucity of data on its epidemiology and clinical presentation in low-income countries. We estimated the prevalence of otitis media and assessed risk factors among children in Cameroon. METHODS: A community-based cross-sectional prevalence study of otitis media (OM) was performed on randomly selected children aged 2-3 years in Yaoundé, Cameroon from March to June 2013. OM was assessed by clinical inspection for chronic suppurative otitis media (CSOM) and tympanometry for otitis media with effusion (OME). CSOM was defined as draining of the middle ear with duration of more than two weeks and OME was defined as a flat 'type B' tympanogram. RESULTS: Out of 529 children enrolled in the study, 433 (56% males) subjects with available tympanograms were evaluated. Altogether, 9.7% (42/433) of children met the case definition of CSOM, OME or its complications. This consisted of 3 (0.7%) children identified with unilateral CSOM; 7 (1.6%) children with bilateral OME; 31 (7.2%) with unilateral OME and 1 (0.2%) subject with unilateral dry tympanic membrane perforation. Logistic regression analyses showed statistically significant association between OM and parental reporting of "current symptoms of upper respiratory tract infections", Prevalence Odds Ratio (POR) = 3.71; 95% CI = 1.69-8.14). CONCLUSION: As many as two out of a hundred children between the ages of 2-3 years were affected by significant middle ear disease i.e. CSOM or bilateral OME. These data could be useful as a baseline for estimating the impact of pneumococcal conjugate vaccines (PCV13) introduced in July 2011 for infants in Cameroon.
BACKGROUND: Acute otitis media is a common illness in children under-five years of age and associated with major health care resources in high-income countries. However, there is paucity of data on its epidemiology and clinical presentation in low-income countries. We estimated the prevalence of otitis media and assessed risk factors among children in Cameroon. METHODS: A community-based cross-sectional prevalence study of otitis media (OM) was performed on randomly selected children aged 2-3 years in Yaoundé, Cameroon from March to June 2013. OM was assessed by clinical inspection for chronic suppurative otitis media (CSOM) and tympanometry for otitis media with effusion (OME). CSOM was defined as draining of the middle ear with duration of more than two weeks and OME was defined as a flat 'type B' tympanogram. RESULTS: Out of 529 children enrolled in the study, 433 (56% males) subjects with available tympanograms were evaluated. Altogether, 9.7% (42/433) of children met the case definition of CSOM, OME or its complications. This consisted of 3 (0.7%) children identified with unilateral CSOM; 7 (1.6%) children with bilateral OME; 31 (7.2%) with unilateral OME and 1 (0.2%) subject with unilateral dry tympanic membrane perforation. Logistic regression analyses showed statistically significant association between OM and parental reporting of "current symptoms of upper respiratory tract infections", Prevalence Odds Ratio (POR) = 3.71; 95% CI = 1.69-8.14). CONCLUSION: As many as two out of a hundred children between the ages of 2-3 years were affected by significant middle ear disease i.e. CSOM or bilateral OME. These data could be useful as a baseline for estimating the impact of pneumococcal conjugate vaccines (PCV13) introduced in July 2011 for infants in Cameroon.
Authors: John Njuma Libwea; Mark A Fletcher; Paul Koki Ndombo; Angeline Boula; Nadesh Taku Ashukem; Madeleine Ngo Baleba; Rachel Sandrine Kingue Bebey; Eric Gaston Nkolo Mviena; Jean Tageube; Marie Kobela Mbollo; Sinata Koulla-Shiro; Shabir Madhi; Berthe-Marie Njanpop-Lafourcade; Ali Mohammad; Elizabeth Begier; Joanna Southern; Rohini Beavon; Bradford Gessner Journal: PLoS One Date: 2021-04-15 Impact factor: 3.240