Serological Evidence of Hepatitis E Virus in Dromedary Camels in the Sahelian Zone of West Africa
Jean Bienvenue Ouoba *
Laboratoire d'Epidémiologie et de Surveillance des Agents transmissibles par les aliments et l'eau (LaBESTA) Centre de Recherche en Sciences Biologique Alimentaire Nutritionnelles (CRSBAN), Université Ouaga I, Pr Joseph KI-ZERBO, Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso and Laboratoire National d’Elevage (LNE), Burkina Faso.
Anne Ouedraogo
Laboratoire National d’Elevage (LNE), Burkina Faso.
Kuan Abdoulaye Traore
Laboratoire d'Epidémiologie et de Surveillance des Agents transmissibles par les aliments et l'eau (LaBESTA) Centre de Recherche en Sciences Biologique Alimentaire Nutritionnelles (CRSBAN), Université Ouaga I, Pr Joseph KI-ZERBO, Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso and Université Norbert ZONGO de Koudougou, Burkina Faso.
Bruno L. Ouoba
Laboratoire National d’Elevage (LNE), Burkina Faso.
Hortense Rouamba
Laboratoire d'Epidémiologie et de Surveillance des Agents transmissibles par les aliments et l'eau (LaBESTA) Centre de Recherche en Sciences Biologique Alimentaire Nutritionnelles (CRSBAN), Université Ouaga I, Pr Joseph KI-ZERBO, Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso and Centre Médical de Samandin, Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso.
Lamouni Habibata Zerbo
Laboratoire National d’Elevage (LNE), Burkina Faso.
Sidi Moctar
Laboratoire National d’Elevage (LNE), Burkina Faso.
Amadou Traore
Laboratoire National d’Elevage (LNE), Burkina Faso.
Pierre Roques
Infectious Diseases Model for Innovative Therapies (IDMIT) Département / Institut de Biologie François Jacob (IBFJ), Commissariat à l'Energie Atomique (CEA), Fontenay-aux-Roses, France and Immunology of Viral Infections and Autoimmune Diseases (IMVA), U1184, INSERM, Fontenay-aux-Roses, France and UMR1184, IMVA, University of Paris-Sud, Saclay, France.
Nicolas Barro
Laboratoire d'Epidémiologie et de Surveillance des Agents transmissibles par les aliments et l'eau (LaBESTA) Centre de Recherche en Sciences Biologique Alimentaire Nutritionnelles (CRSBAN), Université Ouaga I, Pr Joseph KI-ZERBO, Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso.
*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Abstract
Aim: This study was undertaken to determine the sero-epidemiological information and associated risk factors, of Hepatitis E virus (HEV) among dromedaries in Sub-sahelian region.
Study Design: Cross sectional epidemiological survey.
Place and Duration: The study was carried out in three countries of West Africa (Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger), over a two month period from February to March 2015.
Methodology: A total of 133 serum samples collected from dromedaries (Camelus dromedarius) were examined for the detection of anti-DcHEV total antibody by a mammals targeted ELISA kit (ID vet, France), using a multispecies conjugate.
Results: Eleven of the 133 (8.33%; 95%CI [3.6 – 13.0]) dromedaries were positive for anti-DcHEV antibodies. Positive cases had a random geographic distribution (p˃0.05) and all seropositive dromedaries were in close contact with other domestic animals.
Conclusion: This study highlight the circulation of HEV in West African mammals and specifically in dromedaries. This is the first study reporting HEV circulation in dromedaries in West Africa. Further studies is needed to identify the HEV genotype involved in the dromedary camel infection, and evaluation of potential transmission to dromedary’s care keepers.
Keywords: Zoonosis, dromedary camels HEV, anti-DcHEV total antibodies, risk factors, West Africa.