Assessing Ebola virus circulation in the Tshuapa province (Democratic Republic of the Congo): A One Health investigation of wildlife and human interactions

Rianne van Vredendaal; Léa Joffrin; Antea Paviotti; Claude Mande; Solange Milolo; Nicolas Laurent; Léa Fourchault; Douglas Adroabadrio; Pascal Baelo; Steve Ngoy; Papy Ansobi; Casimir Nebesse; Martine Peeters; Ahidjo Ayouba; Maeliss Champagne; Julie Bouillin; Jana Tĕšíková; Natalie Van Houtte; Sophie Gryseels; Maha Salloum; Freddy Bikioli; Séverine Thys; Jimmy Mpato; Ruben Ilonga; Henri Kimina; Ynke Larivière; Gwen Lemey; Pierre Van Damme; Jean-Pierre Van Geertruyden; Hypolite Muhindo-Mavoko; Patrick Mitashi; Herwig Leirs; Erik Verheyen; Guy-Crispin Gembu; Joachim Mariën

doi:10.1371/journal.ppat.1013628

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Assessing Ebola virus circulation in the Tshuapa province (Democratic Republic of the Congo): A One Health investigation of wildlife and human interactions

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Assessing Ebola virus circulation in the Tshuapa province (Democratic Republic of the Congo): A One Health investigation of wildlife and human interactions

Rianne van Vredendaal, Léa Joffrin, Antea Paviotti, Claude Mande, Solange Milolo, Nicolas Laurent, Léa Fourchault, Douglas Adroabadrio, Pascal Baelo, Steve Ngoy, …

PLoS pathogens, Vol.21(11), p.e1013628

26/11/2025

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.ppat.1013628

PMID: 41296812

Résumé

Adolescent

Adult

Aged

Animals

Animals, Wild - virology

Antibodies, Viral - blood

Child

Chiroptera - virology

Democratic Republic of the Congo - epidemiology

Disease Outbreaks

Disease Reservoirs - virology

Ebolavirus - immunology

Ebolavirus - isolation & purification

Female

Hemorrhagic Fever, Ebola - epidemiology

Hemorrhagic Fever, Ebola - transmission

Hemorrhagic Fever, Ebola - virology

Humans

Immunoglobulin G - blood

Male

Middle Aged

One Health

Young Adult

The wildlife reservoir and spillover mechanisms of Ebola virus remain elusive despite extensive research efforts in endemic areas. This study employed a One Health approach to examine the virus' circulation in wildlife and the associated human exposure risks in the Tshuapa province of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. We screened 1049 samples from 919 animals, predominantly small mammals, collected in 2021, and 380 samples from inhabitants of Inkanamongo village, the site of an Ebola virus disease outbreak in 2014. These samples were screened for evidence of current (RNA) or past (IgG antibodies) Ebola virus infections. We also conducted interviews with 167 individuals in the surrounding districts to assess their interactions with wildlife. While no Ebola virus RNA was detected in the wildlife samples, anti-orthoebolavirus IgG antibodies were found in 13 bats and 38 rodents. Among the human participants, 120 individuals had IgG antibodies against at least 1 orthoebolavirus antigen, with 12 showing seropositivity for 2 antigens of the same orthoebolavirus, despite not having a prior Ebola disease diagnosis. Furthermore, the majority of respondents reported frequent visits to the forest to hunt a variety of wild animals, particularly ungulates and rodents, which could account for occasional viral spillovers. The absence of active Ebola virus circulation in wildlife may reflect seasonal patterns in reservoir ecology, as those observed in bats. Similarly, seasonal human activities, such as hunting and foraging, may result in periodic exposure risks. These findings highlight the importance of continuous, multidisciplinary surveillance to monitor changes in seasonal spillover risks.

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Détails

Titre: Assessing Ebola virus circulation in the Tshuapa province (Democratic Republic of the Congo): A One Health investigation of wildlife and human interactions
Créateurs - sans rôle: Rianne van Vredendaal - Evolutionary Ecology Group, Department of Biology, University of Antwerp, Wilrijk, Belgium
Léa Joffrin - Evolutionary Ecology Group, Department of Biology, University of Antwerp, Wilrijk, Belgium
Antea Paviotti - University of Antwerp
Claude Mande - Department of Ecology and Wildlife Management, University of Kisangani, Kisangani, Democratic Republic of Congo
Solange Milolo - Tropical Medicine Department, University of Kinshasa, Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo
Nicolas Laurent - Vertebrate Group, Directorate Taxonomy and Phylogeny, Royal Belgian Institute of Natural Sciences, Brussels, Belgium
Léa Fourchault - Vertebrate Group, Directorate Taxonomy and Phylogeny, Royal Belgian Institute of Natural Sciences, Brussels, Belgium
Douglas Adroabadrio - Centre for Biodiversity Monitoring, University of Kisangani, Kisangani, Democratic Republic of Congo
Pascal Baelo - Centre for Biodiversity Monitoring, University of Kisangani, Kisangani, Democratic Republic of Congo
Steve Ngoy - Centre for Biodiversity Monitoring, University of Kisangani, Kisangani, Democratic Republic of Congo
Papy Ansobi - Ecology and Control of Infectious Diseases Unit, Basic Sciences Department, University of Kinshasa, Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo
Casimir Nebesse - Department of Ecology and Wildlife Management, University of Kisangani, Kisangani, Democratic Republic of Congo
Martine Peeters - Recherches Translationnelles sur le VIH et les Maladies Infectieuses
Ahidjo Ayouba - Recherches Translationnelles sur le VIH et les Maladies Infectieuses
Maeliss Champagne - Recherches Translationnelles sur le VIH et les Maladies Infectieuses
Julie Bouillin - TransVIHMI, University of Montpellier, Institute for Research and Sustainable Development (IRD), INSERM, Montpellier, France
Jana Tĕšíková - Evolutionary Ecology Group, Department of Biology, University of Antwerp, Wilrijk, Belgium
Natalie Van Houtte - Evolutionary Ecology Group, Department of Biology, University of Antwerp, Wilrijk, Belgium
Sophie Gryseels - Vertebrate Group, Directorate Taxonomy and Phylogeny, Royal Belgian Institute of Natural Sciences, Brussels, Belgium
Maha Salloum - Global Health Institute, Department of Family Medicine and Population Health, University of Antwerp, Wilrijk Belgium
Freddy Bikioli - University of Kinshasa
Séverine Thys - ASTRE, French Agricultural Research Centre for International Development (CIRAD), Montpellier, France
Jimmy Mpato - Boende General Hospital of Reference, Boende, Democratic Republic of Congo
Ruben Ilonga - Central Office of Boende Health District, Boende, Democratic Republic of Congo
Henri Kimina - University of Kinshasa
Ynke Larivière - Global Health Institute, Department of Family Medicine and Population Health, University of Antwerp, Wilrijk Belgium
Gwen Lemey - Global Health Institute, Department of Family Medicine and Population Health, University of Antwerp, Wilrijk Belgium
Pierre Van Damme - Centre for the Evaluation of Vaccination, Vaccine and Infectious Disease Institute, University of Antwerp, Wilrijk, Belgium
Jean-Pierre Van Geertruyden - Global Health Institute, Department of Family Medicine and Population Health, University of Antwerp, Wilrijk Belgium
Hypolite Muhindo-Mavoko - University of Kinshasa
Patrick Mitashi - Tropical Medicine Department, University of Kinshasa, Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo
Herwig Leirs - University of Antwerp
Erik Verheyen - Institute of Natural Sciences
Guy-Crispin Gembu - Department of Ecology and Wildlife Management, University of Kisangani, Kisangani, Democratic Republic of Congo
Joachim Mariën - Virus Ecology Group, Department of Biomedical Sciences, Institute of Tropical Medicine, Antwerp, Belgium
Détails de publication: PLoS pathogens, Vol.21(11), p.e1013628
Identifiants: 99149046809311
Unité académique: Recherches translationnelles sur le VIH et les Maladies Infect. Endém. émerg. - TransVIHMI
Langue: English
Type de ressource: Journal article