Epidemiological study of zoonoses derived from humans in captive chimpanzees

Abstract

Emerging infectious diseases (EIDs) in wildlife are major threats both to human health and to biodiversity conservation. An estimated 71.8 % of zoonotic EID events are caused by pathogens in wildlife and the incidence of such diseases is increasing significantly in humans. In addition, human diseases are starting to infect wildlife, especially non-human primates. The chimpanzee is an endangered species that is threatened by human activity such as deforestation, poaching, and human disease transmission. Recently, several respiratory disease outbreaks that are suspected of having been transmitted by humans have been reported in wild chimpanzees. Therefore, we need to study zoonotic pathogens that can threaten captive chimpanzees in primate research institutes. Serological surveillance is one of several methods used to reveal infection history. We examined serum from 14 captive chimpanzees in Japanese primate research institutes for antibodies against 62 human pathogens and 1 chimpanzee-borne infectious disease. Antibodies tested positive against 29 pathogens at high or low prevalence in the chimpanzees. These results suggest that the proportions of human-borne infections may reflect the chimpanzee's history, management system in the institute, or regional epidemics. Furthermore, captive chimpanzees are highly susceptible to human pathogens, and their induced antibodies reveal not only their history of infection, but also the possibility of protection against human pathogens.

Detection and characterization of zoonotic pathogens of free-ranging non-human primates from Zambia

“…Three quarters of zoonotic EIDs are caused by pathogens in wildlife and the incidence of such diseases is increasing significantly in humans [1,2]. Human activities have contributed to a closer contact between humans and wildlife due to a complex relationship between social and environmental factors causing a major threat both to human health and biodiversity conservation mainly through disease transmission between the two groups [3][4][5].…”

Field immobilization for treatment of an unknown illness in a wild chimpanzee (Pan troglodytes schweinfurthii) at Gombe National Park, Tanzania: findings, challenges, and lessons learned

“…Recent research in African sanctuaries (Schaumburg et al 2012) and in a captive facility in Japan (Kooriyama et al 2013) has also documented human-associated pathogens in chimpanzees. In chimpanzee sanctuaries in Zambia and Uganda, Schaumberg et al (2012) found a high prevalence of drug-resistant human-associated Staphylococcus aureaus , and suggest that this may be due to treatment of individual apes with antibiotics or the close caregiver-chimpanzee contact required for rehabilitation of these animals.…”

“…Indeed, there is a widespread perception that human infectious diseases pose one of the greatest risks to the survival of apes in the wild (Homsy 1999; Leendertz et al 2006; Altizer et al 2007; Chi et al 2007; Pederson et al 2007; Köngden et al 2008;). Although confirming cross-species transfers of infectious agents from humans to wild non-human primates can be difficult, numerous suspected and/or confirmed transmission events have been documented in the wild (Nizeyi et al 2001; Köndgen et al 2008; Rwego et al 2008) and in captive settings (Schaumburg et al 2012; Kooriyama et al 2013). …”

“…While it is difficult to draw general conclusions based on the analysis of a single individual, the intervention provided a unique opportunity to conduct testing on a living, wild chimpanzee and thus represents an important case study. Moreover, a recent serological survey conducted in group-living non-vaccinated captive chimpanzees by Kooriyama et al (2013) allows a reference point for initial comparisons. As such, we present this case here in order to 1) describe the first reported field intervention and the subsequent diagnostic test results on a wild chimpanzee, and 2) demonstrate the planning required and multiple types of expertise necessary to maximize the amount of data obtained from such a rare intervention and provide lessons learned for future studies.…”

One Health in China

“…Approximately 71.8% of zoonotic events occurring in humans can be traced to wildlife (43), including AIDS, avian flu, plague, foot and mouth disease, rabies, and dengue fever. Wildlife resources are very abundant in China where more than 5,300 types of vertebrates live (44).…”