Leptospirosis and Ebola virus infection in five gold-panning villages in northeastern Gabon.

Abstract

Abstract. An exhaustive epidemiologic and serologic survey was carried out in five gold-panning villages situated in northeastern Gabon to estimate the degree of exposure of to leptospirosis and Ebola virus. The seroprevalence was 15.7% for leptospirosis and 10.2% for Ebola virus. Sixty years after the last seroepidemiologic survey of leptospirosis in Gabon, this study demonstrates the persistence of this infection among the endemic population and the need to consider it as a potential cause of hemorrhagic fever in Gabon. There was no significant statistical correlation between the serologic status of populations exposed to both infectious agents, indicating the lack of common risk factors for these diseases.

Potential Mammalian Filovirus Reservoirs

“…Human filovirus infection index patients, when detailed information is available, have most frequently been men who work in the field, particularly in forests, excavations, caves, or mines ( 8 , 31 , 32 ). Commensal species (e.g., Mus musculus , Rattus spp.…”

Seroprevalence of Leptospira infection in bats roosting in human settlements in Morogoro municipality in Tanzania

“…Recent studies from the African region shows high prevalence of leptospirosis in villagers engaged with gold-panning in Gabon (Bertherat et al, 1999), in small mammals in Benin (Houemenou et al, 2013) and in rodents in urban settlements in Kenya (Halliday et al, 2013). A study from Uganda also shows high prevalence of leptospirosis in buffalos (42.39%) and cattle (29.35%) (Atherstone et al, 2013).…”

Leptospira infections in freshwater fish in Morogoro Tanzania: a hidden public health threat

“…The disease has been reported in humans in Gabon (Bertherat et al, 1999), in small mammals from Benin (Houemenou et al, 2013) and in rodents and buffalos in Kenya and Uganda (Halliday et al, 2013;Atherstone et al, 2013). In Tanzania, leptospirosis has been widely reported with high prevalence in rodents, cattle, dogs, pigs, and recently in bats (Machang'u et al, 1997;Mgode et al, 2005;Ahmed et al, 2006;Mgode et al, 2006;Schoonman, 2007;Schoonman & Swai, 2010;Kessy et al, 2010;Mgode et al, 2014).…”