Serological evidence of zoonotic filovirus exposure among bushmeat hunters in Guinea

Joseph Akoi Boré; Joseph W.S. Timothy; Tom Tipton; Ifono Kekoura; Yper Hall; Grace Hood; Stephanie Longet; Kimberly Fornace; Millimono S. Lucien; Sarah Katarina Fehling; Beatrice K. Koivogui; Si’Ana A. Coggins; Eric D. Laing; Christopher C. Broder; N’ Faly Magassouba; Thomas Strecker; Jeremy Rossman; Kader Konde; Miles W. Carroll

doi:10.1038/s41467-024-48587-5

Serological evidence of zoonotic filovirus exposure among bushmeat hunters in Guinea

Joseph Akoi Boré, Joseph W.S. Timothy, Tom Tipton, Ifono Kekoura, Yper Hall, Grace Hood, Stephanie Longet, Kimberly Fornace, Millimono S. Lucien, Sarah Katarina Fehling, Beatrice K. Koivogui, Si’Ana A. Coggins, Eric D. Laing, Christopher C. Broder, N’ Faly Magassouba, Thomas Strecker, Jeremy Rossman, Kader Konde, Miles W. Carroll^*

^*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

7 Scopus citations

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.

Original language	English
Article number	4171
Journal	Nature Communications
Volume	15
Issue number	1
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-024-48587-5
State	Published - Dec 2024
Externally published	Yes

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Akoi Boré, J., Timothy, J. W. S., Tipton, T., Kekoura, I., Hall, Y., Hood, G., Longet, S., Fornace, K., Lucien, M. S., Fehling, S. K., Koivogui, B. K., Coggins, SA. A., Laing, E. D., Broder, C. C., Magassouba, N. F., Strecker, T., Rossman, J., Konde, K., & Carroll, M. W. (2024). Serological evidence of zoonotic filovirus exposure among bushmeat hunters in Guinea. Nature Communications, 15(1), Article 4171. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-024-48587-5

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title = "Serological evidence of zoonotic filovirus exposure among bushmeat hunters in Guinea",

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.",

author = "{Akoi Bor{\'e}}, Joseph and Timothy, {Joseph W.S.} and Tom Tipton and Ifono Kekoura and Yper Hall and Grace Hood and Stephanie Longet and Kimberly Fornace and Lucien, {Millimono S.} and Fehling, {Sarah Katarina} and Koivogui, {Beatrice K.} and Coggins, {Si{\textquoteright}Ana A.} and Laing, {Eric D.} and Broder, {Christopher C.} and Magassouba, {N{\textquoteright} Faly} and Thomas Strecker and Jeremy Rossman and Kader Konde and Carroll, {Miles W.}",

note = "Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} The Author(s) 2024.",

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Akoi Boré, J, Timothy, JWS, Tipton, T, Kekoura, I, Hall, Y, Hood, G, Longet, S, Fornace, K, Lucien, MS, Fehling, SK, Koivogui, BK, Coggins, SAA, Laing, ED , Broder, CC, Magassouba, NF, Strecker, T, Rossman, J, Konde, K & Carroll, MW 2024, 'Serological evidence of zoonotic filovirus exposure among bushmeat hunters in Guinea', Nature Communications, vol. 15, no. 1, 4171. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-024-48587-5

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AU - Timothy, Joseph W.S.

AU - Tipton, Tom

AU - Kekoura, Ifono

AU - Hall, Yper

AU - Hood, Grace

AU - Longet, Stephanie

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AU - Lucien, Millimono S.

AU - Fehling, Sarah Katarina

AU - Koivogui, Beatrice K.

AU - Coggins, Si’Ana A.

AU - Laing, Eric D.

AU - Broder, Christopher C.

AU - Magassouba, N’ Faly

AU - Strecker, Thomas

AU - Rossman, Jeremy

AU - Konde, Kader

AU - Carroll, Miles W.

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N2 - 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.

AB - 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.

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