Biology subjects

Koundouno, F. R.

Publications and source records attributed to Koundouno, F. R..

2 recordsLinked to original sources

bioRxiv2026

Emergence of mpox in Guinea: sporadic clade IIa cases and a clade IIb upsurge

BackgroundMpox virus (MPXV) has caused recurrent outbreaks in West Africa. However, Guinea had not previously reported laboratory-confirmed cases or MPXV genomic data. MethodsSuspected cases were identified in the NZerekore region as well as in the Conakry (Sept 2024- Dec 2025) and confirmed by real-time PCR in regional and central laboratories, respectively. Whole-genome sequencing using nanopore technology was performed in-country, followed by phylogenetic and time-scaled evolutionary analyses. FindingsThe first mpox case was clinically diagnosed in September 2024 in the NZerekore region and laboratory-confirmed by the prefectural laboratory in Gueckedou. In total, seven cases were confirmed in Forest Guinea, of which five complete or almost complete MPXV genomes were recovered. All belonged to MPXV clade IIa. Genomic divergence, ancestral dating, and low APOBEC3-associated mutation frequencies were consistent with multiple independent zoonotic spillover events. In June 2025, one of the first mpox cases of an unfolding outbreak was confirmed in Conakry. Whole genome sequencing revealed MPXV clade IIb lineage G.1. By December 2025, the number of laboratory-confirmed mpox cases nationwide increased to 2,151. A total of nine outbreak strains were sequenced, all belonging to Clade IIb. The genomes clustered with contemporaneous genomes from Sierra Leone and showed high APOBEC3-associated mutation frequencies, suggesting sustained human-to-human transmission in the region. InterpretationThese data demonstrate simultaneous circulation of MPXV clade IIa and IIb strains in Guinea, likely resulting from zoonotic spillover and human-to-human transmission, respectively. Decentralised diagnostics and in-country sequencing facilitated rapid case confirmation and genomic surveillance, highlighting the importance of these critical capacities for outbreak preparedness and response. FundingGerman Federal Ministry of Health and the German Center for Infection Research (DZIF).

genomics↗

bioRxiv2022

The characterization of multiple novel paramyxovirus species highlights the diverse nature of the subfamily Orthoparamyxovirinae

The subfamily Orthoparamyxovirinae is a group of single-stranded, negative-sense RNA viruses that contains many human, animal and zoonotic pathogens. While there are currently only 34 recognized member species in this subfamily, recent research has revealed that much of its diversity remains to be characterized. Using a newly developed nested PCR-based screening assay, we report here the discovery of fifteen orthoparamyxoviruses in rodents and shrews from Belgium and Guinea, thirteen of which are believed to represent new species. Using nanopore sequencing, complete genomes could be determined for almost all of these viruses, enabling a detailed evaluation of their genome characteristics. While most viruses are thought to belong to the rapidly expanding genus Jeilongvirus, we also identify novel members of the genera Narmovirus, Henipavirus and Morbillivirus. Together with other recently discovered orthoparamyxoviruses, both the henipaviruses and the morbillivirus discovered here appear to form distinct rodent-/shrew-borne clades within their respective genera, clustering separately from all currently classified member species. In the case of the henipaviruses, a comparison of the different members of this clade revealed the presence of a secondary conserved open reading frame, encoding for a transmembrane protein, within the F gene, the biological relevance of which remains to be established. While the characteristics of the viruses described here shed further light on the complex evolutionary origin of paramyxoviruses, they also illustrate that the diversity of this group of viruses in terms of genome organization appears to be much larger than previously assumed. Data availabilityThe genome sequences generated in this study have been submitted to GenBank (accession numbers OK623353-OK623368).

microbiology↗