Dama E. auteur aut IRD Cornélie Sylvie auteur aut IRD Camara M. auteur aut IRD Somda M. B. auteur aut IRD Poinsignon Anne auteur aut IRD Ilboudo H. auteur aut IRD Ndille E. E. auteur aut IRD Jamonneau Vincent auteur aut IRD Solano Philippe auteur aut IRD Remoué Franck auteur aut IRD Bengaly Z. auteur aut IRD Belem A. M. G. auteur aut IRD Bucheton Bruno auteur aut IRD text journalArticle eng text/pdf reformatted digital access Background: The analysis of humoral responses directed against the saliva of blood-sucking arthropods was shown to provide epidemiological biomarkers of human exposure to vector-borne diseases. However, the use of whole saliva as antigen presents several limitations such as problems of mass production, reproducibility and specificity. The aim of this study was to design a specific biomarker of exposure to tsetse flies based on the in silico analysis of three Glossina salivary proteins (Ada, Ag5 and Tsgf1) previously shown to be specifically recognized by plasma from exposed individuals. Methodology/Principal Findings: Synthetic peptides were designed by combining several linear epitope prediction methods and Blast analysis. The most specific peptides were then tested by indirect ELISA on a bank of 160 plasma samples from tsetse infested areas and tsetse free areas. Anti-Tsgf1(18-43) specific IgG levels were low in all three control populations (from rural Africa, urban Africa and Europe) and were significantly higher (p < 0.0001) in the two populations exposed to tsetse flies (Guinean HAT foci, and South West Burkina Faso). A positive correlation was also found between Anti-Tsgf1(18-43) IgG levels and the risk of being infected by Trypanosoma brucei gambiense in the sleeping sickness foci of Guinea. Conclusion/Significance: The Tsgf1(18-43) peptide is a suitable and promising candidate to develop a standardize immunoassay allowing large scale monitoring of human exposure to tsetse flies in West Africa. This could provide a new surveillance indicator for tsetse control interventions by HAT control programs. specialized AFRIQUE DE L'OUEST 052 020 7 9 e2455 [8 ] 2013 1935-2735 https://www.documentation.ird.fr/hor/fdi:010061163 10.1371/journal.pntd.0002455 1935-2735 [F B010061163] https://www.documentation.ird.fr/hor/fdi:010061163 https://horizon.documentation.ird.fr/exl-doc/pleins_textes/divers15-10/010061163.pdf IRD - Base Horizon / Pleins textes 2013-11-04 2021-06-02 fdi:010061163 fre