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In Africa, several emerging zoonotic viruses have been transmitted from small mammals such as rodents and shrews to humans. Although no clinical cases of small mammal-borne viral diseases have been reported in Central Africa, potential zoonotic viruses have been identified in rodents in the region. Therefore, we hypothesized that there may be unrecognized zoonotic viruses circulating in small mammals in Central Africa. Here, we investigated viruses that have been maintained among wild small mammals in Gabon to understand their potential risks to humans. We identified novel orthonairoviruses in 24.6 % of captured rodents and shrews from their kidney total RNA samples. Phylogenetic analysis revealed that the novel viruses, Lamusara virus (LMSV) and Lamgora virus, were closely related to Erve virus, which was previously identified in shrews of the genus Crocidura and has been suspected to cause neuropathogenic diseases in humans. Moreover, we show that the LMSV ovarian tumour domain protease, one of the virulence determination factors of orthonairoviruses, suppressed interferon signalling in human cells, suggesting the possible human pathogenicity of this virus. Taken together, our study demonstrates the presence of novel orthonairoviruses that may pose unrecognized risks of viral disease transmission in Gabon.

In Africa, great apes, among which gorillas, are the reservoir of several infectious agents, some of which have zoonotic potential. However, scientific reports summarizing data on the pathogens harbored by some primate species still need to be published for the scientific community, conservation, and public health actors. In the case of Gabon, despite its outstanding biodiversity, particularly in great apes, and the history of outbreaks involving wildlife, there is a lack of reports on pathogens found in some ape species living in the vicinity of the human being. Thus, it is becoming urgent for us to synthesize the available data on pathogens (parasites, bacteria, and viruses) identified in gorillas living in different ecosystems of Gabon to assess the risks for the human population. Therefore, this review article presents the diversity of pathogens identified in gorillas in Gabon, their impact on primates’ health, the cases of transfer between gorillas and humans, and the interest in a One Health approach for prevention and a better understanding of the ecology of gorilla’s diseases infection in Gabon.

Wild animals harbor pathogens that can be infectious agents for humans, including parasites. This study aimed to identify gastrointestinal parasites and assess their prevalence and the potential risk for humans associated with consuming these animals. The research was conducted from August to December 2019. Parasitological analyses were carried out on the feces and intestines of 113 wild animals, including antelopes (24), duikers (58), porcupines (18), small monkeys (Cercopithecus) (8), nandinia (2), pangolin (1), genet (1), and a crocodile (1), from the Zadié Department in the province of Ogooué-Ivindo in the northeast of Gabon. The results revealed 15 taxa of gastrointestinal parasites, including nine nematodes: Strongylids (61/113), Strongyloides spp. (21/113), Ascaris spp. (21/113), Trichuris spp. (39/113), Capillaria spp. (9/113), Protostrongylus spp. (5/113), Enterobius spp. (8/113), Toxocara spp. (7/113) and Mammomonogamus spp. (5/113); three species of protozoa, namely Balantidium spp. (12/113), Eimeria spp. (17/113), and Entamoeba spp. (9/113); two species of trematodes, namely Fasciola spp. (18/113) and Paramphistomum spp. (21/113); and cestode species, Taenia spp. (1/113). The prevalence of gastrointestinal parasitism in these animals was 85.84% (97/113). In addition, among these parasitic taxa, some are potential pathogens for humans, such as Ascaris spp., Balantidium spp., Entamoeba spp., and Taenia spp. The consumption of games, particularly offal, infested by these parasites, could threaten human health.