Mansonella, including a Potential New Species, as Common Parasites in Children in Gabon.
BACKGROUND
Like other tropical African countries, Gabon is afflicted by many parasitic diseases, including filariases such as loiasis and mansonellosis. This study aimed to assess the prevalence of these two filarial diseases in febrile and afebrile children using quantitative real-time PCR and standard PCR assays coupled with sequencing.


RESULTS
DNA from blood specimens of 1,418 Gabonese children (1,258 febrile and 160 afebrile) were analyzed. Overall, filarial DNA was detected in 95 (6.7%) children, including 67 positive for M. perstans (4.7%), which was the most common. M. perstans was detected in 61/1,258 febrile children (4.8%) and 6/160 afebrile children (3.8%, P = 0.6). Its prevalence increased statistically with age: 3.5%, 7.7% and 10.6% in children aged ≤ 5, 6-10 and 11-15 years, respectively. M. perstans prevalence was significantly higher in Koulamoutou and Lastourville (12% and 10.5%, respectively) than in Franceville and Fougamou (2.6% and 2.4%, respectively). Loa loa was detected in seven febrile children including one co-infection with M. perstans. Finally, 21 filarial DNA positive were negative for M. perstans and Loa loa, but ITS sequencing could be performed for 12 and allowed the identification of a potential new species of Mansonella provisionally called "DEUX". Mansonella sp. "DEUX" was detected only in febrile children.


CONCLUSIONS
Further study should be performed to characterize Mansonella sp. "DEUX" and evaluate the clinical significance of mansonellosis in humans.
Aix-Marseille Université, URMITE, UM63, CNRS 7278, IRD 198, INSERM 1095, Marseille, France; Ecole Doctorale Régionale d'Afrique Centrale, Franceville, Gabon.
Gaël
G
Mourembou
Aix-Marseille Université, URMITE, UM63, CNRS 7278, IRD 198, INSERM 1095, Marseille, France.
Florence
F
Fenollar
Unité de Parasitologie Médicale (UPARAM) CIRMF, Franceville, Gabon; Département de Parasitologie Mycologie et de Médecine Tropicale, Université des Science de la Santé, Libreville, Gabon.
Jean Bernard
JB
Lekana-Douki
Département de Microbiologie, Laboratoire National de Référence IST/sida, Faculté de Médecine, Université des Sciences de la Santé, Libreville, Gabon.
Angelique
A
Ndjoyi Mbiguino
Unité de Parasitologie Médicale (UPARAM) CIRMF, Franceville, Gabon.
Sydney
S
Maghendji Nzondo
Centre de Recherches Médicales de la Ngounié, Fougamou, Gabon.
Pierre Blaise
PB
Matsiegui
Centre de Recherches Médicales de la Ngounié, Fougamou, Gabon.
Rella
R
Zoleko Manego
Aix-Marseille Université, URMITE, UM63, CNRS 7278, IRD 198, INSERM 1095, Marseille, France.
Cyrille Herve Bile
CH
Ehounoud
Aix-Marseille Université, URMITE, UM63, CNRS 7278, IRD 198, INSERM 1095, Marseille, France.
Fadi
F
Bittar
Aix-Marseille Université, URMITE, UM63, CNRS 7278, IRD 198, INSERM 1095, Marseille, France.
Didier
D
Raoult
Aix-Marseille Université, URMITE, UM63, CNRS 7278, IRD 198, INSERM 1095, Marseille, France.
Oleg
O
Mediannikov
D000293:Adolescent; D000367:Age Factors; D000818:Animals; D001769:Blood / Q000469:parasitology; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D016000:Cluster Analysis; D018509:DNA, Helminth / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification; D021903:DNA, Ribosomal Spacer / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics; D005260:Female; D005681:Gabon / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008117:Loa / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification; D008118:Loiasis / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008366:Mansonella / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D008368:Mansonelliasis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D010802:Phylogeny; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D015995:Prevalence; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA; D019371:Topography, Medical
D018509:DNA, Helminth; D021903:DNA, Ribosomal Spacer