{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,3,20]],"date-time":"2026-03-20T00:03:34Z","timestamp":1773965014114,"version":"3.50.1"},"reference-count":33,"publisher":"Public Library of Science (PLoS)","issue":"12","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2022,12,8]],"date-time":"2022-12-08T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1670457600000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"http:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"funder":[{"DOI":"10.13039\/501100000780","name":"European Union","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","award":["ENV\/2017\/389-491"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["ENV\/2017\/389-491"]}],"id":[{"id":"10.13039\/501100000780","id-type":"DOI","asserted-by":"crossref"}]}],"content-domain":{"domain":["www.plosone.org"],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["PLoS ONE"],"abstract":"<jats:p>In low- and middle-income countries, undernutrition often co-exists with intestinal parasites, especially Soil Transmitted Helminth (STH) infections in children. The collective impact of both conditions result in undernutrition and can exacerbate the general poor health status of children. A cross-sectional survey of 422 mother-child (12\u201359 months old) pairs from 14 villages in the District of Ndelele, East Region of Cameroon, was carried out to assess the magnitude and correlates of undernutrition and intestinal parasites. Socio-demographic data were collected from mothers and anthropometric data were collected from children. Parasitological assessment was performed using a combination of direct microscopy flotation, sedimentation and centrifugation techniques. Correlates of undernutrition and intestinal parasites were identified using multinomial logistic regression at individual and household levels. 83.77% of the children assessed for undernutrition were undernourished and 66.82% were positive for one or more intestinal parasites. It was not uncommon for the study participants to be concurrently infected with two or more intestinal parasites. The most common intestinal parasitic infections detected in the study were <jats:italic>A<\/jats:italic>. <jats:italic>lumbricoides<\/jats:italic>, <jats:italic>E<\/jats:italic>. <jats:italic>histolytica\/dispar<\/jats:italic> and <jats:italic>Hookworm<\/jats:italic> infection. Multinomial logistic regression using Nutritional status as outcome showed that, children who were not exclusively breastfed were 106% (RR = 2.06; C.I = 1.12\u20133.80) more likely to be underweight compared to those who were exclusively breastfed. The household size of 4 to 6 persons also significantly impacted wasting (p-value = 0.007) at 7% (RR = 1.07, C.I = 0.49\u20132.32). Analysis by a logistic regression model with STH infection as outcome revealed that, Fingernail cleanness (p-value = 0.044; AOR = 1.75; CI = 1.09\u20132.78) and household size (p-value = 0.038; AOR = 0.55; CI = 0.32\u20130.92) were positively associated with intestinal parasite infection at the 5% significant level. This study reveals that intestinal helminthic parasitic infections (STH) and undernutrition are serious health problems in children below five in the study area. To address this dire situation, concerted efforts are needed to improve sanitation, hygiene education access, community deworming programs, and improve diets.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.1371\/journal.pone.0278333","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2022,12,8]],"date-time":"2022-12-08T13:29:55Z","timestamp":1670506195000},"page":"e0278333","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1371\/journal.pone.corrections_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":5,"title":["RETRACTED: Prevalence, correlates of undernutrition and intestinal parasitic\n                    infection among children below 5 years living in the forest community of\n                    Ndelele, East Region of Cameroon: A cross-sectional assessment"],"prefix":"10.1371","volume":"17","author":[{"given":"Bertha Fru","family":"Asa","sequence":"first","affiliation":[],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Cabirou Mounchili","family":"Shintouo","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-0146-3894","authenticated-orcid":true,"given":"Robert Adamu","family":"Shey","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Mildred Tita","family":"Afoumbom","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Nadia","family":"Siekeh","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Adolf","family":"Yoah","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Emmanuel","family":"Kah","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Amy","family":"Ickowitz","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-6738-1819","authenticated-orcid":true,"given":"Caleb Yengo","family":"Tata","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Emmanuel","family":"Asongalem","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-3459-6554","authenticated-orcid":true,"given":"Stephen Mbigha","family":"Ghogomu","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]}],"member":"340","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2022,12,8]]},"reference":[{"key":"pone.0278333.ref001","author":"UNICEF","year":"2013","journal-title":"Improving child nutrition: the achievable imperative for global progress"},{"issue":"1","key":"pone.0278333.ref002","article-title":"The hidden harvest: The role of wild foods in agricultural systems.","volume":"3","author":"I Scoones","year":"1994","journal-title":"In IIED Research Series"},{"issue":"4","key":"pone.0278333.ref003","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"250","DOI":"10.1179\/2046905514Y.0000000158","article-title":"The stunting syndrome in developing countries","volume":"34","author":"AJ Prendergast","year":"2014","journal-title":"Paediatr int child health"},{"key":"pone.0278333.ref004","author":"World Health Organization","year":"2011","edition":"2"},{"key":"pone.0278333.ref005","volume-title":"Guideline: preventive chemotherapy to control soil-transmitted helminth infections in at-risk population groups","author":"World Health Organization","year":"2017"},{"key":"pone.0278333.ref006","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"602","DOI":"10.1186\/1471-2334-13-602","article-title":"Mapping of schistosomiasis and soil-transmitted helminthiasis in the regions of Littoral, Northwest, South and South-West Cameroon and recommendations for treatment.","volume":"13","author":"TL-A Tchuem","year":"2013","journal-title":"BMC Infect Dis"},{"key":"pone.0278333.ref007","first-page":"1962128","article-title":"Nutritional status and intestinal parasite in school age children: a comparative cross-sectional study.","author":"B.E. 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