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Abstract
Guinea worm disease (dracunculiasis) is a painful infection caused by the filarial nematode Dracunculus medinensis. Natural wildlife infections have been found in several species, but the importance of wildlife hosts is not fully understood. This study aimed to increase understanding on species richness and carnivore interactions around villages with Guinea worm infections. Fifty-six game cameras were deployed around seven villages in Sarh, Chad with varying levels of Guinea worm endemicity. Occupancy models supported that tantalus monkeys (Chlorocebus tantalus), patas monkeys (Erythrocebus patas), and Egyptian mongoose (Herpestes ichneumon) were present in endemic and/or sporadic villages. Co-occurring carnivores were observed to exhibit temporal, spatial, or dietary niche partitioning. This study provides valuable knowledge on the wildlife species present around villages in Chad, a key step to understanding their role in transmission of Guinea worm. Additionally, this research provides insight into how carnivores may interact in human-altered landscapes.