Rodents are reservoirs of numerous zoonotic diseases caused by bacteria, protozoans, or viruses. In Gabon, the circulation and maintenance of rodent-borne zoonotic infectious agents are poorly studied and are often limited to one type of pathogen. Among the three existing studies on this topic, two are focused on a zoonotic virus, and the third is focused on rodentPlasmodium. In this study, we searched for a wide range of bacteria, protozoa and viruses in different organs of rodents from the town of Franceville in Gabon. Samples from one hundred and ninety-eight (198) small mammals captured, including two invasive rodent species, five native rodent species and 19 shrews belonging to theSoricidaefamily, were screened. The investigated pathogens were bacteria from theRickettsiaceaeandAnaplasmataceaefamilies,Mycoplasmaspp.,Bartonellaspp.,Borreliaspp.,Orientiaspp.,Occidentiaspp.,Leptospiraspp.,Streptobacillus moniliformis,Coxiella burnetii, andYersinia pestis;parasites from classKinetoplastidaspp. (Leishmaniaspp.,Trypanosomaspp.),Piroplasmidaespp., andToxoplasma gondii; and viruses fromParamyxoviridae,Hantaviridae,FlaviviridaeandMammarenavirusspp. We identified the following pathogenic bacteria:Anaplasmaspp. (8.1%; 16/198),Bartonellaspp. (6.6%; 13/198),Coxiellaspp. (5.1%; 10/198) andLeptospiraspp. (3.5%; 7/198); and protozoans:Piroplasmasp. (1%; 2/198),Toxoplasma gondii(0.5%; 1/198), andTrypanosomasp. (7%; 14/198). None of the targeted viral genes were detected. These pathogens were found in Gabonese rodents, mainlyLophuromyssp.,Lemniscomys striatusandPraomyssp. We also identified new genotypes:CandidatusBartonella gabonensis and UnculturedAnaplasmaspp. This study shows that rodents in Gabon harbor some human pathogenic bacteria and protozoans. It is necessary to determine whether the identified microorganisms are capable of undergoing zoonotic transmission from rodents to humans and if they may be responsible for human cases of febrile disease of unknown etiology in Gabon.

Zoonotic pathogens are responsible for most infectious diseases in humans, with rodents being important reservoir hosts for many of these microorganisms. Rodents, thus, pose a significant threat to public health. Previous studies in Senegal have shown that rodents harbour a diversity of microorganisms, including human pathogens. Our study aimed to monitor the prevalence of infectious agents in outdoor rodents, which can be the cause of epidemics. We screened 125 rodents (both native and expanding) from the Ferlo region, around Widou Thiengoly, for different microorganisms. Analysis, performed on rodent spleens, detected bacteria from the Anaplasmataceae family (20%), Borrelia spp. (10%), Bartonella spp. (24%) and Piroplasmida (2.4%). Prevalences were similar between native and the expanding (Gerbillus nigeriae) species, which has recently colonised the region. We identified Borrelia crocidurae, the agent responsible for tick-borne relapsing fever, which is endemic in Senegal. We also identified two other not-yet-described bacteria of the genera Bartonella and Ehrlichia that were previously reported in Senegalese rodents. Additionally, we found a potential new species, provisionally referred to here as Candidatus Anaplasma ferloense. This study highlights the diversity of infectious agents circulating in rodent populations and the importance of describing potential new species and evaluating their pathogenicity and zoonotic potential.

Rabies is a zoonotic neurological life-threatening neglected tropical disease present worldwide and Gabon is listed as an endemic country. However, despite strong clinical suspicion in humans and molecular confirmation of infections with the rabies virus (RABV) in dogs for several decades, no human molecularly confirmed case in Gabon has ever been reported. In this study we describe two cases of human rabies and provide the first molecular diagnostic report on suspected human rabies cases in Gabon. Our results showed that the RABVs isolated from the victims are closely related to other RABV strains, previously isolated more than 20 years ago from the brains of Gabonese dogs, belonging to African 1A subclade in the Cosmopolitan lineage, suggesting that only this species circulates in the country. Because both patients had a history of dog bites a few weeks before the symptom's onset and the main causative agent of human rabies worldwide is dog-associated rabies virus, we deduce that dogs are likely to be the source of human infection in this study.

Background and Aim: Cryptosporidium spp. members of the phylum Apicomplexa are obligate protozoan parasites capable of infecting various vertebrate hosts, including rodents and chickens. Infection caused by these parasites may lead to zoonotic diseases in humans. The aim of this study was to estimate the prevalence of Cryptosporidium spp. in rodents and domestic chickens sampled in Franceville, Gabon. Materials and Methods: Two hundred and eighty-five samples were collected, of which 185 samples were from rodents and 100 from domestic chickens. Microscopy after modified Ziehl-Neelsen staining and nested polymerase chain reaction targeting the small subunit (SSU) rRNA gene was used to examine Cryptosporidium spp. Results: The overall prevalence of Cryptosporidium oocysts was 55.8%, with a prevalence of 72.4% in rodents and 25.0% in domestic chickens. Molecular analysis showed that Cryptosporidium spp. were present in 4.0% of the samples. No significant correlation was observed between Cryptosporidium spp. carriage and sex or location in this study. These results indicate that Cryptosporidium spp. persist and circulate in the studied animal species in Franceville, Gabon. Conclusion: Infection with Cryptosporidium is very common in rodents and chickens in Franceville. The potential risk of human contamination cannot be ruled out. More research should be conducted to characterize Cryptosporidium species circulating in rodents and chickens in Gabon. Such studies are essential to better understand the epidemiology of this protozoan and its potential impact on public health. Keywords: Cryptosporidium spp., domestic chickens, Gabon, Oocysts, rodents.

Since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, the SARS-CoV-2 virus has undergone various genetic mutations which have led to the emergence of variants. The World Health Organization (WHO) defines Variants of Concern (VOCs) and Variants of Interest (VOIs) according to several criteria. These include significant changes in the transmissibility and pathogenicity of the virus characterized by mutations in the spike gene coding the spike glycoprotein. In this study, we designed ten Reverse-Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction (RT-PCR) assays in order to identify mutations of SARS-CoV-2 in overlapping fragments. Each assay contained mutations on the fragments sequenced by a Sanger method. The genomic analysis of the fragments allowed to identify the variant according to the position of the mutations. The assembly of the 10 fragments refined the analysis, highlighting all the mutations present in the S gene. Finally, a comparison of methods using a Next-Generation Sequencing (NGS) approches for samples enabled the method to be validated. By this method we have highlighted a characteristic mutation of the lineage B of SARS-CoV-2. We showed the circulation of SARS-CoV-2 belonging to lineage A and B in the beginning of the pandemic in Gabon. We have identified the Alpha, Delta and Omicron variants. This method would allow laboratories with limited financial means or without NGS instrument to obtain sequences of the S gene. This method wase very effective to highlight the circulation of variants, in particular VOCs and VOIs, in this developing country, Gabon, during the COVID-19 pandemic.