OmniVira

Serological evidence of zoonotic filovirus exposure among bushmeat hunters in Guinea.

Joseph Akoi Boré1 Joseph W S Timothy2 Tom Tipton3 Ifono Kekoura1 Yper Hall4 Grace Hood3 Stephanie Longet3 Kimberly Fornace5 Millimono S Lucien1 Sarah Katarina Fehling6 Beatrice K Koivogui1 Si'Ana A Coggins7 Eric D Laing7 Christopher C Broder7 N' Faly Magassouba1 Thomas Strecker6 Jeremy Rossman8 Kader Konde9 Miles W Carroll10
Affiliations 10 institutions
  1. Ministère de la Santé et de l'hygiène publique, Conakry, Guinea.
  2. Faulty of Infectious & Tropical Diseases, London School of Hygiene Tropical Medicine, London, UK.
  3. Centre for Human Genetics & Pandemic Sciences Inst, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK.
  4. UK Health Security Agency, Porton Down, UK.
  5. Saw Swee Hock School of Public Health, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore.
  6. Institute of Virology, Philipps University, Marburg, Germany.
  7. Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Uniformed Services University, MD, USA.
  8. School of Bioscience, University of Kent, Canterbury, UK.
  9. Centre for Training and Research on Priority Diseases including Malaria in Guinea, Conakry, Guinea.
  10. Centre for Human Genetics & Pandemic Sciences Inst, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK. [email protected].
PMID38755147 DOI10.1038/s41467-024-48587-5 Year2024 Journal Nature communications Nat Commun Languageeng Publication statusActive
Active Last checked 2026-10-02 03:30:39 Source: NCBI PubMed

Abstract

Human Ebola virus (EBOV) outbreaks caused by persistent EBOV infection raises questions on the role of zoonotic spillover in filovirus epidemiology. To characterise filovirus zoonotic exposure, we collected cross-sectional serum samples from bushmeat hunters (n = 498) in Macenta Prefecture Guinea, adjacent to the index site of the 2013 EBOV-Makona spillover event. We identified distinct immune signatures (20/498, 4.0%) to multiple EBOV antigens (GP, NP, VP40) using stepwise ELISA and Western blot analysis and, live EBOV neutralisation (5/20; 25%). Using comparative serological data from PCR-confirmed survivors of the 2013-2016 EBOV outbreak, we demonstrated that most signatures (15/20) were not plausibly explained by prior EBOV-Makona exposure. Subsequent data-driven modelling of EBOV immunological outcomes to remote-sensing environmental data also revealed consistent associations with intact closed canopy forest. Together our findings suggest exposure to other closely related filoviruses prior to the 2013-2016 West Africa epidemic and highlight future surveillance priorities.

Supporting text Virus Host Location
Antibodies, Viral 216 Ebolavirus 32 Hemorrhagic Fever, Ebola 28 Adult 71 Aged 31 Animals 1981 Antigens, Viral 50 Cross-Sectional Studies 36 Disease Outbreaks 174 Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay 36 Female 295 Guinea 14 Humans 1455 Male 225 Middle Aged 60 Viral Zoonoses 66 Young Adult 26 Zoonoses 401

Evidence records

4 total
Zoonotic Surveillance
4 records · 2 evidence types
Evidence type Serological Evidence
3 records
OVE8058 Serological Evidence
Key finding

Antibodies to multiple Ebola virus (EBOV) antigens and neutralising activity were detected in serum samples from bushmeat hunters in Guinea.

Virus
Ebola virus
Host
human Homo sapiens Natural host
Location
Not specified
Supporting text

We identified distinct immune signatures (20/498, 4.0%) to multiple EBOV antigens (GP, NP, VP40) using stepwise ELISA and Western blot analysis and, live EBOV neutralisation (5/20; 25%).

Method
stepwise ELISA | Western blot analysis | live EBOV neutralisation assay
Sample type
serum samples
OVE8059 Serological Evidence
Key finding

Most antibody signatures detected in bushmeat hunters were not explained by prior exposure to the EBOV-Makona outbreak strain.

Virus
Ebola virus
Host
human Homo sapiens Natural host
Location
Not specified
Supporting text

Using comparative serological data from PCR-confirmed survivors of the 2013-2016 EBOV outbreak, we demonstrated that most signatures (15/20) were not plausibly explained by prior EBOV-Makona exposure.

Method
comparative serological analysis
Sample type
serum samples
OVE8061 Serological Evidence
Key finding

Serological data from bushmeat hunters in Guinea indicate prior animal-to-human exposure to filoviruses related to EBOV before the 2013–2016 West Africa epidemic.

Virus
Ebola virus closely related filoviruses
Host
human Homo sapiens Natural host
Location
Guinea West Africa
Supporting text

To characterise filovirus zoonotic exposure, we collected cross-sectional serum samples from bushmeat hunters (n = 498) in Macenta Prefecture Guinea, adjacent to the index site of the 2013 EBOV-Makona spillover event. Together our findings suggest exposure to other closely related filoviruses prior to the 2013–2016 West Africa epidemic and highlight future surveillance priorities.

Method
ELISA | Western blot analysis | live EBOV neutralisation assay | comparative serology to outbreak survivors | environmental modelling
Evidence type Reservoir Ecology
1 records
OVE8060 Reservoir Ecology
Key finding

EBOV serological responses in bushmeat hunters from Macenta Prefecture Guinea were associated with intact closed canopy forest, suggesting ecological conditions relevant to viral exposure.

Virus
Ebola virus
Host
human Homo sapiens Natural host
Location
Guinea
Supporting text

We collected cross-sectional serum samples from bushmeat hunters (n = 498) in Macenta Prefecture Guinea, adjacent to the index site of the 2013 EBOV-Makona spillover event. Subsequent data-driven modelling of EBOV immunological outcomes to remote-sensing environmental data also revealed consistent associations with intact closed canopy forest.

Method
data-driven modelling | remote-sensing environmental data
Sample type
serum samples
Geographic raw
Macenta Prefecture Guinea
Country inferred
GIN