@article{fdi:010049261,
  title = {{H}igh prevalence of both humoral and cellular immunity to {Z}aire ebolavirus among rural populations in {G}abon},
  author = {{B}ecquart, {P}ierre and {W}auquier, {N}. and {M}ahlakoiv, {T}. and {N}koghe, {D}. and {P}adilla, {C}. and {S}ouris, {M}arc and {O}llomo, {B}. and {G}onzalez, {J}ean-{P}aul and de {L}amballerie, {X}avier and {K}azanji, {M}. and {L}eroy, {E}ric {M}.},
  editor = {},
  language = {{ENG}},
  abstract = {{T}o better understand {Z}aire ebolavirus ({ZEBOV}) circulation and transmission to humans, we conducted a large serological survey of rural populations in {G}abon, a country characterized by both epidemic and non epidemic regions. {T}he survey lasted three years and covered 4,349 individuals from 220 randomly selected villages, representing 10.7% of all villages in {G}abon. {U}sing a sensitive and specific {ELISA} method, we found a {ZEBOV}-specific {I}g{G} seroprevalence of 15.3% overall, the highest ever reported. {T}he seroprevalence rate was significantly higher in forested areas (19.4%) than in other ecosystems, namely grassland (12.4%), savannah (10.5%), and lakeland (2.7%). {N}o other risk factors for seropositivity were found. {T}he specificity of anti-{ZEBOV} {I}g{G} was confirmed by {W}estern blot in 138 individuals, and {CD}8 {T} cells from seven {I}g{G}+ individuals were shown to produce {IFN}-gamma after {ZEBOV} stimulation. {T}ogether, these findings show that a large fraction of the human population living in forested areas of {G}abon has both humoral and cellular immunity to {ZEBOV}. {I}n the absence of identified risk factors, the high prevalence of "immune' persons suggests a common source of human exposure such as fruits contaminated by bat saliva. {T}hese findings provide significant new insights into {ZEBOV} circulation and human exposure, and raise important questions as to the human pathogenicity of {ZEBOV} and the existence of natural protective immunization.},
  keywords = {},
  booktitle = {},
  journal = {{P}los {O}ne},
  volume = {5},
  numero = {2},
  pages = {e9126},
  ISSN = {1932-6203},
  year = {2010},
  DOI = {10.1371/journal.pone.0009126},
  URL = {https://www.documentation.ird.fr/hor/fdi:010049261},
}