Publications by authors named "Leadisaelle H Lenguiya"
The Ebola virus (EBOV) and Marburg virus (MARV) have been in circulation in Africa for several decades and are the cause of numerous outbreaks. There has been very little research on the role of domestic animals in their transmission to humans, but studies have only been conducted in dogs and pigs where relatively high levels of IgG was detected. These levels suggest that ruminants, which have not been studied, should also be investigated.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFPrevalence of post-pandemic SARS-CoV-2 in patients with respiratory syndrome in Brazzaville, Republic of the Congo.
BMC Infect Dis
February 2025
The first confirmed case of COVID-19 was detected in the Republic of the Congo in March 2020. Several control measures were implemented during the pandemic period. As a result, the number of reported cases decreased significantly, leading to the gradual lifting of barrier measures and the declaration of the end of the outbreak on 14 October 2022.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe protozoan Toxoplasma gondii is a ubiquitous and highly prevalent parasite that can theoretically infect all warm-blooded vertebrates. In humans, toxoplasmosis causes infections in both immunodeficient and immunocompetent patients, congenital toxoplasmosis, and ocular lesions. These manifestations have different degrees of severity.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFArticle Synopsis
- * Researchers found that 4 out of 163 tested wild ruminants were positive for RVFV, with a genetic link to a virus from Namibia, indicating RVF's presence in Gabon's wildlife.
- * In a separate survey of 306 domestic animals, they found 15.4% had RVFV-specific antibodies, predominantly in goats, emphasizing the need for improved surveillance and control measures for RVF in the region.
Article Synopsis
- - Coronaviruses are a diverse group of viruses that can infect various animals, including humans, with some strains like SARS-CoV-1, SARS-CoV-2, and MERS-CoV affecting global health significantly and originating from bats through intermediary hosts.
- - A study in Gabon screened 229 faecal samples from wild great apes and mandrills for coronaviruses using nested PCR, but all samples tested negative for CoVs.
- - The negative results might be due to a small sample size, the temporary nature of infections, or the unsuitability of faecal samples for detection, indicating the need for future studies using larger sample sizes and alternative non-invasive methods to better understand CoV circulation
Article Synopsis
- - The study focused on screening astroviruses (AstVs), enteroviruses (EVs), and caliciviruses (CaVs) in domestic animals to understand their potential to spread zoonotic diseases in rural Central Africa, where these animals interact closely with wildlife.
- - Researchers collected rectal swabs from 123 goats, 41 sheep, and 76 dogs across 10 villages in northeastern Gabon, using PCR to detect various viruses by amplifying specific genes.
- - Out of 240 samples, 23 tested positive for the viruses, with the majority found in goats, and some sequences clustering with known viruses that could pose a risk to humans, suggesting these animals could harbor pathogens that affect human health.
Whole-Genome Characterization of SARS-CoV-2 Reveals Simultaneous Circulation of Three Variants and a Putative Recombination (20B/20H) in Pets, Brazzaville, Republic of the Congo.
Viruses
April 2023
Following the emergence of SARS-CoV-2, cases of pets infected with variants circulating among humans were reported. In order to evaluate the occurrence of SARS-CoV-2 circulation among pets in the Republic of the Congo, we conducted a ten-month study of dogs and cats living in COVID-19-positive households in Brazzaville and neighboring localities. Real-time PCR and the Luminex platform were used to detect SARS-CoV-2 RNA and antibodies to SARS-CoV-2 RBD and S proteins, respectively.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFTo determine when severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 arrived in Congo, we retrospectively antibody tested 937 blood samples collected during September 2019-February 2020. Seropositivity significantly increased from 1% in December 2019 to 5.3% in February 2020, before the first officially reported case in March 2020, suggesting unexpected early virus circulation.
View Article and Find Full Text PDF