University of Dschang

Non-communicable diseases (NCDs) such as diabetes are increasing in countries where malaria transmission is common. This study aims to investigate the relationship between NCDs and parasitic infections in Cameroon. The investigators will assess the risk of malaria, as well as other parasitic diseases, in a prospectively followed group of adults with diabetes, compared with those without diabetes. Malaria parasites and intestinal worms will be tested using blood and stool collected at four time points during a one-year follow-up. In addition, this project will investigate how natural protection against malaria is affected by diabetes and other risk factors for heart diseases.

Cervical cancer is the leading cause of cancer death among women in sub-Saharan Africa, despite the existence of effective prevention and screening methods. Because vaccination rates against human papillomavirus (causing nearly all cervical cancers) are still insufficient in some low-resource countries, early detection and treatment of cervical lesions at risk of progressing to cancer are crucial components of cervical cancer control. Therefore, it is essential to find the most reliable and appropriate screening strategy in the context of low-resource countries in order to identify women in need of treatment and thus prevent the development of cervical cancer. The objective of our study is to compare two different methods of cervical cancer screening adapted to low-resource settings, in two study centers in Cameroon.

The aim of this study is to investigate if diabetes, obesity and metabolic syndrome affects disease presentation and severity of malaria in adults in a hospital setting in Cameroon.