A population-based study of xerophthalmia in the extreme North Province of Cameroon, West Africa

M. R. Wilson, M. Mansour, A. E. Atud, R. Casey, G. Fobi, E. Moukouri, W. Alemayehu, J. F. Martone and D. Ross-Degnan
Charles R. Drew University of Medicine and Science, Los Angeles, Calif., USA.

OBJECTIVE: To obtain cross-sectional data on clinical and nutritional vitamin A deficiency from which to design appropriate intervention strategies. DESIGN: A population-based survey using multistage, cluster sampling. SETTING: Extreme North Province of Cameroon, West Africa. PARTICIPANTS: Children aged 0 to 5 years. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Clinical signs of active xerophthalmia and dietary vitamin A intake. RESULTS: Of 5352 children examined, signs of active xerophthalmia were noted in 0.62%. Bitot's spots, corneal xerosis, and corneal ulceration were noted in 0.47%, 0.06%, and 0.12% of the subjects, respectively. Children with xerophthalmia had lower vitamin A intake scores when compared with age-matched controls and with a 20% systematic subsample of children. CONCLUSION: Xerophthalmia is a major public health problem in this region.