Pédiculose en Milieu Scolaire Camerounais: Prévalence et Facteurs Associés

RESUME Introduction. La pediculose reste endemique en Afrique sub-Saharienne.  Le but de cette etude etait de determiner la prevalence et les facteurs associes a la pediculose en milieu scolaire. Methodologie. Il s’agissait d’une etude transversale menee en Avril 2015 dans l’aire de sante de Magba. Nous avons inclus les eleves de 3 ecoles primaires selectionnees au hasard et dont les parents/tuteurs avaient donne leur consentement. Le diagnostic positif de la pediculose a ete essentiellement clinique. L’echantillonnage etait consecutif et exhaustif. Resultats. Au total, 400 eleves a predominance feminine (65%) ont ete enroles. La prevalence globale de la pediculose etait de 20,8%. La tranche d’âge la plus touchee etait celle de 5 a 8 ans. Les filles etaient les plus touchees (27% ; p<0,001). Nous avons note 78,3% de cas d’antecedents d’infestation, 56,9% d’entre eux avaient ete traites par de l’ivermectine. Le prurit. etait le principal symptome (83,1%%). L’analyse multifactorielle a permis de relever que les antecedents d’infestation, le nombre de personnes par menage, la longueur des cheveux constituaient les facteurs associes independants significatifs. Conclusion. La pediculose est frequente en milieu scolaire camerounais, notamment dans l’aire de sante de Magba, avec une forte prevalence (20,8%) et touche les enfants des deux sexes, avec une nette predominance feminine. ABSTRACT Introduction. Pediculosis remains endemic in sub-Saharan Africa.  The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence and factors associated with pediculosis in schools. Methods. This was a cross-sectional study conducted in April 2015 in the Magba health area. We included students from 3 randomly selected primary schools whose parents/guardians had given their consent. The positive diagnosis of pediculosis was essentially clinical. The sampling was consecutive and exhaustive. Results. A total of 400 predominantly female students (65%) were enrolled. The overall prevalence of pediculosis was 20.8%. The most affected age group was between 5 and 8 years old. Girls were the most affected (27%; p<0.001). We noted 78.3% of cases with a history of infestation, 56.9% of which had been treated with ivermectin. Pruritus was the main symptom (83.1%). Multifactorial analysis revealed that history of infestation, number of people per household, and hair length were the significant independent associated factors. Conclusion. Pediculosis is frequent in Cameroonian schools, particularly in the health area of Magba, with a high prevalence (20.8%) and affects children of both sexes, with a clear predominance of females.