Tropical Regions

Guinea and Ivory Coast,
West Africa 

Habitats we study

Human and animal life interactions in diverse locations

Guinea

Pristine

Ziama Forest

Fragmented

Past Ebola emergence sites in Forested Guinea province 

Intensive Agriculture

Kindia province

Urban

Conakry

Ivory coast

Pristine

Tai Forest

Fragmented

Tai Forest vicinity

Key Pathogens 
we explore

  • Filovirus such as: Ebola virus, Marburg virus  
  • Arenavirus such as:  Lassa Fever 
  • Coronaviruses
  • Trematodes 

Key Hosts and Vectors we work on

For effective and trustworthy results we will be taking environmental and biological samples

Wildlife

  • Rodents
  • Primates

Bats

  • Frugivorous

Domestic animals

  • Dogs
  • Cats

Humans

  • Adults (20-50 years old) Woman 46%

Our work in in West Africa

Sampling

Field and laboratory environmental, terrestrial and aquatic wildlife samples are taken and screened with the aim of characterising the present viruses. Other EU-funded projects (i.e. Ebo-Sursy and BIODIV-AFREID) will also contribute with biological data for Guinea and Ivory Coast respectively.

SIR Model

Data collected on filoviruses in bats will help the development of compartmental epidemiological SIR models. IRD and CERFIG will support CIRAD in the design and interpretation of the model.

Three ABMs

Together with local communities and experts' insights, BCOMING will create three models that involve ABM model that involves a computational representation of critical species (e.g. bats) and humans (e.g. livelihoods, hunting, guano collectors).

Biodiversity information will be integrated and modelled either as food web species interactions or by specifying habitat types linked to land areas.

African Workshops and News

Sampling Campaigns In Ivory Coast, Cambodia and Guadeloupe (Aquatic Part)

As part of the BCOMING project, a series of aquatic (freshwater) samplings were performed in Ivory Coast (May 2023), Cambodia (July 2023) and Guadeloupe (October 2023) to identify the patterns of biodiversity of the aquatic communities and their parasites in tropical areas along a gradient of urbanisation, with the aim of i) identifying drivers of disease emergence and ii) preventing disease risk. Our team consist of Dr. Marine Combe (CR, IRD), Dr. Claudia Bommarito (PostDoc, IRD), Prof. Rudy E. Gozlan (DR, IRD) and Ms. Chloé Lefebvre (Technician, IRD) from the French National Research Institute for Sustainable Development (IRD) and the Institute of Evolutionary Sciences of Montpellier (ISEM), France. As responsible team of the aquatic sampling, it was exciting to finalize together the last details of the sampling, prepare and ship the material, and finally see the field campaigns taking place.

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The Power of Indigenous Wisdom: Combating Climate Change and Protecting Biodiversity

Climate change and biodiversity loss are urgent challenges. To find solutions, we can learn from indigenous peoples who have lived in harmony with nature for generations.

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MICROPLASTICS - A RISK FOR INCREASED INFECTIOUS DISEASES?

World Environment Day, celebrated annually on 5 June, is a global initiative that brings together individuals, businesses, governments, and organisations to raise awareness and act on pressing environmental issues.

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Local
contact

Angelique Todd
FFI
Alpha Keita
CERFIG