Immunoglobulin G antibody profiles against Anopheles salivary proteins in domestic animals in Senegal.

Although domestic animals may not be permissive for Plasmodium, they could nevertheless play a role in the epidemiology of malaria by attracting Anopheles away from humans. To investigate interactions between domestic animals and mosquitoes, we assayed immunoglobulin G (IgG) antibodies directed against the salivary proteins of Anopheles gambiae in domestic animals living in Senegalese villages where malaria is endemic. By Western blotting, sera from bovines (n=6), ovines (n=36), and caprines (n=36) did not react with Anopheles whole saliva. In contrast, equine sera recognized proteins in both saliva and salivary gland extracts. Two of the major immunogens (32 and 72 kDa) were also reactive in extracts from other major mosquito genera (Aedes and Culex), but reactions toAnopheles-specific antigens were detected in 12 of 17 horses. These data suggest that horses strongly react to Anopheles bites, and further experiments on horses are warranted to investigate the impact of this domestic animal species on the transmission of human malaria.

Domestic animals as carriers of Bordetella species in Senegal.

Despite intense efforts to maintain a high level of vaccine coverage against human whooping cough, rural senegalese areas are still endemic for Bordetella pertussis. One explanation being the potential existence of animal reservoirs, the objective of this work was to precise the carriage by domestic animals of bacteria belonging to the genus Bordetella in Senegal. Bacteriological samples (swabs and aspirates) were obtained from various domestic animals living in different parts of the country. No B. pertussis nor B. parapertussis were isolated. However, for the first time to our knowledge, B. bronchiseptica was identified from small ruminants located in Africa. The positive animals were two goats and two sheep from Dakar slaughterhouse together with a goat living in a rural compound. The fact that it was identified in goats and sheep underlines the potential zoonotic of that bacterial species in countries where small ruminants are of economical and cultural relevance.