Extensive Survey and Analysis of Factors Associated with Presence of Antibodies to Orthoebolaviruses in Bats from West and Central Africa
Martine Peeters,
Maëliss Champagne,
Innocent Ndong Bass,
Souana Goumou,
Simon-Pierre Ndimbo Kumugo,
Audrey Lacroix,
Amandine Esteban,
Dowbiss Meta Djomsi,
Abdoul Karim Soumah,
Placide Mbala Kingebeni,
Flaubert Auguste Mba Djonzo,
Guy Lempu,
Guillaume Thaurignac,
Eitel Mpoudi Ngole,
Charles Kouanfack,
Daniel Mukadi Bamuleka,
Jacques Likofata,
Jean-Jacques Muyembe Tamfum,
Helene De Nys,
Julien Capelle,
Abdoulaye Toure,
Eric Delaporte,
Alpha Kabinet Keita,
Steve Ahuka Mundeke,
Ahidjo Ayouba
Affiliations
Martine Peeters
TransVIHMI, University of Montpellier, Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale (INSERM), Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD), 34394 Montpellier, France
Maëliss Champagne
TransVIHMI, University of Montpellier, Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale (INSERM), Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD), 34394 Montpellier, France
Innocent Ndong Bass
Centre de Recherche sur les Maladies Emergentes et Réémergentes (CREMER), Yaounde P.O. Box 1857, Cameroon
Souana Goumou
Centre de Recherche et de Formation en Infectiologie de Guinée (CERFIG), Université Gamal Abdel Nasser de Conakry, Conakry BP6629, Guinea
Simon-Pierre Ndimbo Kumugo
National Institute of Biomedical Research (INRB), Kinshasa P.O. Box 1197, Democratic Republic of the Congo
Audrey Lacroix
TransVIHMI, University of Montpellier, Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale (INSERM), Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD), 34394 Montpellier, France
Amandine Esteban
TransVIHMI, University of Montpellier, Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale (INSERM), Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD), 34394 Montpellier, France
Dowbiss Meta Djomsi
Centre de Recherche sur les Maladies Emergentes et Réémergentes (CREMER), Yaounde P.O. Box 1857, Cameroon
Abdoul Karim Soumah
Centre de Recherche et de Formation en Infectiologie de Guinée (CERFIG), Université Gamal Abdel Nasser de Conakry, Conakry BP6629, Guinea
Placide Mbala Kingebeni
National Institute of Biomedical Research (INRB), Kinshasa P.O. Box 1197, Democratic Republic of the Congo
Flaubert Auguste Mba Djonzo
Centre de Recherche sur les Maladies Emergentes et Réémergentes (CREMER), Yaounde P.O. Box 1857, Cameroon
Guy Lempu
National Institute of Biomedical Research (INRB), Kinshasa P.O. Box 1197, Democratic Republic of the Congo
Guillaume Thaurignac
TransVIHMI, University of Montpellier, Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale (INSERM), Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD), 34394 Montpellier, France
Eitel Mpoudi Ngole
Centre de Recherche sur les Maladies Emergentes et Réémergentes (CREMER), Yaounde P.O. Box 1857, Cameroon
Charles Kouanfack
Centre de Recherche sur les Maladies Emergentes et Réémergentes (CREMER), Yaounde P.O. Box 1857, Cameroon
Daniel Mukadi Bamuleka
National Institute of Biomedical Research (INRB), Kinshasa P.O. Box 1197, Democratic Republic of the Congo
Jacques Likofata
Laboratoire Provincial de Mbandaka, Equateur, Democratic Republic of the Congo
Jean-Jacques Muyembe Tamfum
National Institute of Biomedical Research (INRB), Kinshasa P.O. Box 1197, Democratic Republic of the Congo
Helene De Nys
Astre, CIRAD, INRAE, University of Montpellier, 34398 Montpellier, France
Julien Capelle
Astre, CIRAD, INRAE, University of Montpellier, 34398 Montpellier, France
Abdoulaye Toure
Centre de Recherche et de Formation en Infectiologie de Guinée (CERFIG), Université Gamal Abdel Nasser de Conakry, Conakry BP6629, Guinea
Eric Delaporte
TransVIHMI, University of Montpellier, Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale (INSERM), Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD), 34394 Montpellier, France
Alpha Kabinet Keita
Centre de Recherche et de Formation en Infectiologie de Guinée (CERFIG), Université Gamal Abdel Nasser de Conakry, Conakry BP6629, Guinea
Steve Ahuka Mundeke
National Institute of Biomedical Research (INRB), Kinshasa P.O. Box 1197, Democratic Republic of the Congo
Ahidjo Ayouba
TransVIHMI, University of Montpellier, Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale (INSERM), Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD), 34394 Montpellier, France
The seroprevalence to orthoebolaviruses was studied in 9594 bats (5972 frugivorous and 3622 insectivorous) from Cameroon, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Guinea, with a Luminex-based serological assay including recombinant antigens of four orthoebolavirus species. Seroprevalence is expressed as a range according to different cut-off calculations. Between 6.1% and 18.9% bat samples reacted with at least one orthoebolavirus antigen; the highest reactivity was seen with Glycoprotein (GP) antigens. Seroprevalence varied per species and was higher in frugivorous than insectivorous bats; 9.1–27.5% versus 1.3–4.6%, respectively. Seroprevalence in male (13.5%) and female (14.4%) bats was only slightly different and was higher in adults (14.9%) versus juveniles (9.4%) (p p < 0.001). Our data suggest orthoebolavirus circulation is highest in young bats. More long-term studies are needed to identify birthing pulses for the different bat species in diverse geographic regions and to increase the chances of detecting viral RNA in order to document the genetic diversity of filoviruses in bats and their pathogenic potential for humans. Frugivorous bats seem more likely to be reservoirs of orthoebolaviruses, but the role of insectivorous bats has also to be further examined.
