Proteinuria and onchocerciasis in an endemic area in Cameroon under community-based treatment with ivermectin

The present study was aimed at determining the prevalence of onchocerciasis and proteinuria as well as the association between manifestations of heavy chronic onchocerciasis (HCO) and proteinuria among patients in Cameroon. Of the 482 (277: 57.5% females and 205: 42.5% males) subjects recruited from an area with an ivermectin treatment coverage rate of 77.8%, the average prevalence of microfilaridermia by skin snip (mf/ss) was 31.9%, the community microfilaria load was 9.3 mf/ss and the overall prevalence of proteinuria was 4.4%. There was no statistically significant difference in the prevalence of symptoms of HCO when subjects were matched in the presence and absence of proteinuria with regard to positive ss (P = 0.0860), presence of nodules (P = 0.5000), depigmentation (P = 0.1459), visual impairment (P = 0.5000) and recent ingestion of ivermectin (P = 0.6366). Fourteen (66.6%) of the 21 subjects with protein to creatinine ratios (P/CR) > or = 0.2 had HCO, while 15 (71.4%) of the 21 subjects with P/CR < 0.2 had HCO. This gives an odd ratio of 0.8 and a P value of 0.62. However, there is need to carry out studies with a larger sample size before firm conclusions can be drawn about the association between onchocerciasis and proteinuria.