title: No evidence for ape Plasmodium infections in humans in Gabon.
abstract: African great apes are naturally infected by a multitude of Plasmodium species most of them recently discovered, among which several are closely related to human malaria agents. However, it is still unknown whether these animals can serve as source of infections for humans living in their vicinity. To evaluate this possibility, we analysed the nature of Plasmodium infections from a bank of 4281 human blood samples collected in 210 villages of Gabon, Central Africa. Among them, 2255 were detected positive to Plasmodium using molecular methods (Plasmodium Cytochrome b amplification). A high throughput sequencing technology (454 GS-FLX Titanium technology, Roche) was then used to identify the Plasmodium species present within each positive sample. Overall, we identified with confidence only three species infecting humans in Gabon: P. falciparum, P. malariae and P. ovale. None of the species known to infect non-human primates in Central Africa was found. Our study shows that ape Plasmodium parasites of the subgenus Laverania do not constitute a frequent source of infection for humans. It also suggests that some strong host genetic barriers must exist to prevent the cross species transmission of ape Plasmodium in a context of ever increasing contacts between humans and wildlife.
authors.affiliation: Centre International de Recherches Médicales de Franceville, CIRMF, BP 769, Franceville, Gabon.
authors.forename: Lucresse
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Délicat-Loembet
authors.affiliation: Centre International de Recherches Médicales de Franceville, CIRMF, BP 769, Franceville, Gabon; MIVEGEC (UMR CNRS/IRD/UM 5290), 911 avenue Agropolis, 34394, Montpellier, Cedex 5, France.
authors.forename: Virginie
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Rougeron
authors.affiliation: Centre International de Recherches Médicales de Franceville, CIRMF, BP 769, Franceville, Gabon.
authors.forename: Benjamin
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Ollomo
authors.affiliation: MIVEGEC (UMR CNRS/IRD/UM 5290), 911 avenue Agropolis, 34394, Montpellier, Cedex 5, France; CHRU de Montpellier, 39 Avenue Charles Flahault, 34295, Montpellier, France.
authors.forename: Céline
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Arnathau
authors.affiliation: Unité de Modélisation Mathématique et Informatique des Systèmes Complexes (UMI IRD/UPMC 209), Institut de Recherche pour le Développement, 32 avenue Henr1 Varagnat, 93140, Bondy, France.
authors.forename: Benjamin
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Roche
authors.affiliation: MIVEGEC (UMR CNRS/IRD/UM 5290), 911 avenue Agropolis, 34394, Montpellier, Cedex 5, France.
authors.forename: Eric
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Elguero
authors.affiliation: Centre International de Recherches Médicales de Franceville, CIRMF, BP 769, Franceville, Gabon.
authors.forename: Nancy Diamella
authors.initials: ND
authors.lastname: Moukodoum
authors.affiliation: Centre International de Recherches Médicales de Franceville, CIRMF, BP 769, Franceville, Gabon.
authors.forename: Alain-Prince
authors.initials: AP
authors.lastname: Okougha
authors.affiliation: Centre International de Recherches Médicales de Franceville, CIRMF, BP 769, Franceville, Gabon.
authors.forename: Bertrand
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Mve Ondo
authors.affiliation: Centre International de Recherches Médicales de Franceville, CIRMF, BP 769, Franceville, Gabon.
authors.forename: Larson
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Boundenga
authors.affiliation: Laboratoire de Parasitologie-Mycologie, Hôpital Bichat-Claude Bernard, 46 rue Henri Huchard, 75018, Paris, France; Unité Mixte de Recherche 216 IRD, Université Paris Descartes, 12 rue de l'Ecole de Médecine, 75006, Paris, France.
authors.forename: Sandrine
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Houzé
authors.affiliation: INRA, UMR1062 CBGP, avenue du Campus Agropolis, 34980, Montferrier-sur-Lez, France.
authors.forename: Maxime
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Galan
authors.affiliation: Centre International de Recherches Médicales de Franceville, CIRMF, BP 769, Franceville, Gabon.
authors.forename: Dieudonné
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Nkoghé
authors.affiliation: Centre International de Recherches Médicales de Franceville, CIRMF, BP 769, Franceville, Gabon; MIVEGEC (UMR CNRS/IRD/UM 5290), 911 avenue Agropolis, 34394, Montpellier, Cedex 5, France.
authors.forename: Eric M
authors.initials: EM
authors.lastname: Leroy
authors.affiliation: MIVEGEC (UMR CNRS/IRD/UM 5290), 911 avenue Agropolis, 34394, Montpellier, Cedex 5, France; CHRU de Montpellier, 39 Avenue Charles Flahault, 34295, Montpellier, France.
authors.forename: Patrick
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Durand
authors.affiliation: MIVEGEC (UMR CNRS/IRD/UM 5290), 911 avenue Agropolis, 34394, Montpellier, Cedex 5, France.
authors.forename: Christophe
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Paupy
authors.affiliation: MIVEGEC (UMR CNRS/IRD/UM 5290), 911 avenue Agropolis, 34394, Montpellier, Cedex 5, France; CHRU de Montpellier, 39 Avenue Charles Flahault, 34295, Montpellier, France.
authors.forename: François
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Renaud
authors.affiliation: Centre International de Recherches Médicales de Franceville, CIRMF, BP 769, Franceville, Gabon; MIVEGEC (UMR CNRS/IRD/UM 5290), 911 avenue Agropolis, 34394, Montpellier, Cedex 5, France.
authors.forename: Franck
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Prugnolle
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D018420:Ape Diseases / Q000235:genetics* / Q000469:parasitology; D045303:Cytochromes b / Q000235:genetics*; D005260:Female; D005681:Gabon; D015186:Hominidae / Q000469:parasitology*; D006801:Humans; D008288:Malaria / Q000235:genetics*; D008297:Male; D010961:Plasmodium / Q000235:genetics* / Q000472:pathogenicity; D015800:Protozoan Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D013045:Species Specificity
chemical_list: D015800:Protozoan Proteins; D045303:Cytochromes b