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Volume 32, Number 7—July 2026

Research

Molecular Epidemiology of Skin-Dwelling Filariae and Risk Factors for Mansonella streptocerca Infection, Gabon

Capucine Marie Sicard, Mara Fischer, Chiara Wizemann, Marilen Bartling, Linda Martin, Miriam Rodi, Juliana Inoue, Sabrina Valeria Sinopoli, Esther Mehmel, Andrea Kreidenweiss, Pierre Blaise Matsiegui, Michael Ramharter, Selidji Todagbe Agnandji, and Jana HeldComments to Author 
Author affiliation: Institute of Tropical Medicine Tübingen, University Hospital Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany (C.M. Sicard, M. Fischer, C. Wizemann, M. Bartling, L. Martin, M. Rodi, J. Inoue, S.V. Sinopoli, A. Kreidenweiss, J. Held); Bernhard-Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine, Hamburg, Germany (E. Mehmel, A. Kreidenweiss, M. Ramharter); Centre de Recherches Médicales de la Ngounié, Fougamou, Gabon (P.B. Matsiegui); German Center for Infection Research, Partner Sites Hamburg-Lübeck-Borstel-Riems, Hamburg (M. Ramharter); Centre de Recherches Médicales de Lambaréné (CERMEL), Lambaréné, Gabon (M. Ramharter, S.T. Agnandji, J. Held); Institute for Medical Microbiology, University Hospital Münster, Münster, Germany (S.T. Agnandji); German Center for Infection Research (DZIF), partner site Tübingen, Tübingen (A. Kreidenweiss, J. Held)

Main Article

Table 3

Frequency of reported symptoms by infection status in study of molecular epidemiology of skin-dwelling filariae and risk factors for Mansonella streptocerca infection, Gabon*

Symptoms Total No. (%) participants
p value
Ms+ 4 Ms+ 3 Ms+ 2 Ms+ 1 Ms– 4 Ms– 3 Ms– 2 Ms– 1
Urticaria 976 57 (41) 211 (25.2) 17 (12.2) 150 (17.9) 15 (10.8) 106 (12.7) 50 (36) 370 (44.2) 0.003
Fatigue or exhaustion 971 40 (28.8) 160 (19.2) 20 (14.4) 203 (24.4) 17 (12.2) 142 (17.1) 62 (44.6) 327 (39.3) 0.727
Cutaneous rash 971 32 (22.9) 117 (14.1) 7 (5) 113 (13.6) 16 (11.4) 97 (11.7) 85 (60.7) 504 (60.6) 0.396
Headaches 978 48 (34.3) 152 (18.1) 14 (10) 226 (27) 26 (18.6) 180 (21.5) 52 (37.1) 280 (33.4) 0.266
Stomach pain 971 32 (23) 85 (10.2) 12 (8.6) 116 (13.9) 22 (15.8) 171 (20.6) 73 (52.5) 460 (55.3) 0.018
Joint pain 977 66 (47.5) 325 (38.8) 34 (24.5) 152 (18.1) 21 (15.1) 115 (13.7) 18 (12.9) 246 (29.4) <0.001
Subcutaneous nodules 947 23 (16.7) 46 (5.7) 48 (34.8) 128 (15.8) 4 (2.9) 45 (5.6) 63 (45.7) 590 (72.9) <0.001

*Ms+, PCR-positive for M. streptocerca (n = 143); Ms–, PCR-negative for M. streptocerca (n = 864). Numbers 1–4 indicate frequency of symptoms: 4, every day; 3, once a week; 2, once a month; 1, rarely/never. Bold p values indicate statistical significance (p<0.05).

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Page created: May 14, 2026
Page updated: June 09, 2026
Page reviewed: June 09, 2026
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