Little research on coronaviruses has been conducted on wild animals inAfrica. Here, we screened a wide range of wild animals collected in six provinces and five caves of Gabon between 2009 and 2015. We collected a total of 1867 animal samples (cave-dwelling bats, rodents, non-human primates and other wild animals). We explored the diversity of CoVs and determined the factors driving the infection of CoVs in wild animals. Based on a nested reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction, only bats, belonging to the Hipposideros gigas (4/156), Hipposideros cf. ruber (13/262) and Miniopterus inflatus (1/249) species, were found infected with CoVs. We identified alphacoronaviruses in H. gigas and H. cf. ruber and betacoronaviruses in H. gigas. All Alphacoronavirus sequences grouped with Human coronavirus 229E (HCoV-229E). Ecological analyses revealed that CoV infection was significantly found in July and October in H. gigas and in october and november in H. cf ruber. The prevalence in the Faucon cave was significantly higher. Our findings suggest that insectivorous bats harbor potentially zoonotic CoVs; highlight a probable seasonality of the infection in cave-dwelling bats from the North-East of Gabon and pointed to an association between the disturbance of the bats' habitat by human activities and CoV infection.open Scientific RepoRtS | (2020) 10:7314 | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-020-64159-1www.nature.com/scientificreports www.nature.com/scientificreports/ play an important role in the chain of transmission and the emergence of these viruses in humans, namely palm civets 5 and wild rodents, in which infections by an alphacoronavirus and a betacoronavirus have been recently identified 16 .Gabon, a country located in Central Africa, displays a large diversity of wildlife species. Aside from bats in which CoVs have been detected in the cave-dwelling species Hipposideros cf. ruber 17 , to our knowledge, there is no information on the carriage of other mammalian species. CoVs are prone to host switching 18 and could be a current and future threat to public health.The aim of this study was to explore the genetic diversity and the ecology of CoVs circulating among several wild mammals in Gabon in order to determine the potential reservoir species of these viruses and the risk for zoonotic emergence, and identify the factors driving CoVs infection in bats.

In order to estimate the seroprevalence and to assess risk factors of Toxoplasma gondii and Neospora caninum in the province of Nyanga, in southern Gabon, a cross-sectional study was conducted in sheep and goats in the county of Mongo. Serological screening was performed using an indirect multi-species enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and a commercial direct agglutination test to test serum samples for the presence of anti-N. caninum and anti-T. gondii Immunoglobulines (Ig) G antibodies, respectively. From a total of 201 small ruminants, including 95 sheep and 106 goats, the overall anti-N. caninum and anti-T. gondii IgG seroprevalences were 31.3% (n=63) and 45.8% (n=95), respectively. Statistical analyses showed that adult small ruminants were 4 times more likely to be infected with T. gondii than young animals (p<0.001; OR=4.27; 95% CI: 2.07-8.81). The locality was significantly associated with T. gondii seropositivity (p=0.001). The Dilemba (p<0.001; OR=0.07), Moulengui-Binza (p=0.023; OR=0.05) and Rina-Nzala localities (p=0.005; OR=0.1) were not identified as risk localities associated with T. gondii infection. The seroprevalence of N. caninum was significantly higher in sheep (42.1%) than goats (21.7%). The species was not associated with N. caninum infection (p=0.005; OR=0.27; 95% CI: 0.11-0.68). In Bibora, small ruminants were almost 4 times more likely to get Neospora infection than the animals in the other localities (p=0.04; OR=3.98; 95% CI: 1.06-14.93). The serological prevalence of N. caninum and T. gondii could suggest a considerable impact on the reproductive process from these pathogens in sheep and goats within the Mongo County and a high exposure of humans to T. gondii.

Vegetative propagation of spontaneous multipurpose species is still limited in tropical rainforest areas of Central Africa. This study evaluates the aptitude of Pseudospondias microcarpa for aerial marcottage under the conditions of Franceville in south-eastern Gabon. The ultimate objective is its domestication and its integration into traditional agroforestry systems. A total of 102 orthotropic branches were tested on 4 different substrates: Chilean sphagnum moss, moss, male inflorescence of oil palm, and sawdust. The root induction, occurring after 30 days, extends beyond 120 days and does not depend on the substrate type. Rooting (78.43 ± 7.98%) and success rates (97.5 ± 3.42%) at 120 days were very promising. The nursery (55.56 ± 13.25%) and field (45.83 ± 19.93%) survival rates remain quite variable. However, these results indicate that Pseudospondias microcarpa var. microcarpa has a good ability to aerial marcottage. This observation constitutes a prerequisite for the further investigates the optimum conditions of weaning and cultivation. This is done in order to improve Pseudospondias microcarpa plant production through aerial marcottage. The other major result has to do with taking into account local substrates in popularizing this low-cost technique.

Aims: Megaphrynium macrostachyum is a key non-wood forest product (NWFP) in Central Africa. This study aims to describe the soil characteristics and behaviour of the species Megaphrynium macrostachyum in a fallow land in southeastern Gabon. Methodology: Leaf growth was monitored weekly on a sample of 60 leaves for 10 weeks, after the unrolling of horns. Population structure and leaf production were quantified on 64 m² plots and then extrapolated to the hectare. Soil samples were collected at 30 cm depth. Results: Leaf growth and stem enlargement were observed to take place during the horn stage, while stem elongation became active after this stage. The stem reached its maximum height about 60 days after the leaf had fully unrolled. Within the same population, leaf length and leaf width were less heterogeneous (on average 55.6 ± 5.9 cm and 35.5 ± 4.5 cm, respectively); whereas leaf area, stem diameter and stem height were quite heterogeneous (on average 1475 ± 328.3 cm², 9 ± 2.2 mm and 154 ± 33.3 cm, respectively). Megaphrynium macrostachyum was observed to colonise its environment quite well (148,646 ± 66,623 stems per hectare), thus explaining its high leaf production (104,167 ± 45,271 usable leaves per hectare). The soil sample analysed revealed Megaphrynium macrostachyum to grow in sandy-silty or sandy-silty-clay soils (58.21% sand, 25.69% silt and 16.1% clay), and in soils that are wet (35% relative humidity), acidic (pH 4.01), low in phosphorus (9.38 ppm assimilable phosphorus) and total nitrogen (0.01% total nitrogen), and high in organic matter (19.3% organic matter). Conclusion: The leaf area exploited by local populations is variable. Megaphrynium macrostachyum is less demanding on soil characteristics, with high leaf production. From a cultivation perspective, the horn stage would be decisive.

Trichloroisocyanuric acid is a swimming pool disinfectant and is readily accessible. As a result, there is the need to use it as a substitute for conventional disinfectants in in vitro culture. Nodal explants of Alchornea cordifolia, harvested in a natural environment, have been rinsed abundantly with Dettol under running water. Then it was soaked in Talo Plus (550 g/l carbendazim and 100 g/l Chlorothalonil) at 5 ml/liter, which is a broad spectrum fungicide. After then, it was immersed in 70% alcohol for 10 minutes before being soaked in different solutions of trichloroisocyanuric acid to: 6, 4, 3, 2, 1, 0.3, 0.1, and 0.08%. The explants were disinfected completely of all contaminating bacterial and fungal exogenous. This was after a treatment in solutions of acidic trichloroisocyanurique of 6 to 0.08%. The results showed that the losses of active chlorine remained low during storage at temperatures of 4 to 18 ± 2°C. They reach only 5.29% after 72 hours. At room temperature of 27 ± 2 ° C, these losses are more than 30% after three days. Concentrations of 0.1 to 0.3% are effective for the disinfection of explants. This protocol of explants disinfection in vitro European Scientific Journal May 2017 edition Vol.13, No.15 ISSN: 1857 -7881 (Print) e -ISSN 1857 275 culture could therefore be advantageously substituted using the hypochlorite of calcium or the chloride of mercury. Keywords:Alchornea cordifolia, sterilization, disinfection, trichloroisocyanuric acid, in vitro culture, nodal explant. RésuméL'acide trichloroisocyanurique est un désinfectant pour piscine et facilement accessible, d'où la nécessité de l'utiliser comme substitut aux désinfectants classiques en culture in vitro. Des explants de noeuds d'Alchornea cordifolia, prélevés en milieu naturel, ont été rincés avec du Dettol à l'eau courante puis trempés dans du Talo Plus (550 g/l de carbendazime et 100 g/l de chlorothalonil) à 5 ml/litre. Ils ont ensuite été trempés dans de l'alcool à 70 %, pendant respectivement 30 et 10 minutes, et immergés dans différentes solutions d'acide trichloroisocyanurique à : 6, 4, 3, 2, 1, 0,3, 0,1 et 0,08 %. Les explants ont par la suite été désinfectés de tout contaminant bactérien et fongique exogènes, après un traitement dans les solutions d'acide trichloroisocyanurique de 6 à 0,08 %. Les résultats ont révélé que les pertes en chlore actif restent faibles lors du stockage à des températures de 4 à 18±2°C, elles n'atteignent que 5,29 % au bout de 72 heures. Tandis qu'à température ambiante ; 27±2°C, ces pertes sont plus de 30 % après trois jours. Les concentrations de 0,1 à 0,3 % sont efficaces pour la désinfection d'explants. Le débourrement axillaire n'est obtenu que sur les explants désinfectés dans des solutions comprises entre 0,1 et 0,3 % d'acide trichloroisocyanurique, les concentrations au-dessus de cet intervalle entrainant la nécrose et la mort des explants. Ce protocole de désinfection d'explants en culture in vitro pourrait donc avantageusement substituer celui utilisant l'hypochlorite de calcium ou ...