Nonhuman primates across sub-Saharan Africa are infected with the yaws bacterium
            <i>Treponema pallidum</i>
            subsp.
            <i>pertenue</i>

Knauf, Sascha; Gogarten, Jan F.; Schuenemann, Verena J.; Nys, Hélène M. De; Düx, Ariane; Strouhal, Michal; Mikalová, Lenka; Bos, Kirsten I.; Armstrong, Roy A.; Batamuzi, E. K.; Chuma, Idrissa S.; Davoust, Bernard; Diatta, Georges; Fyumagwa, Robert D.; Kazwala, Reuben R.; Keyyu, Julius D.; Lejora, Inyasi A. V.; Levasseur, Anthony; Liu, Hsi; Mayhew, M. A.; Mediannikov, Oleg; Raoult, Didier; Wittig, Roman M.; Roos, Christian; Leendertz, Fabian H.; Šmajs, David; Nieselt, Kay; Krause, Johannes; Calvignac‐Spencer, Sébastien

doi:10.1038/s41426-018-0156-4

Cited by 43 publications

(85 citation statements)

References 13 publications

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“…Even tissue samples positive for T. pallidum have been positive in the short polA assay and then negative in the cfpA assay, despite having observed the spirochete in electron micrographs and ultimately being able to capture the whole genome using hybridization capture methods, further highlighting the low sensitivity of the seminested cfpA assay (unpublished data: S.C.S., J.F.G., F.H.L. ; Knauf et al, ).…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…NHPs in TNP are also infected with TPE and present with severe lesions (Figure a; Gogarten et al, ; Knauf et al, ). Many mangabeys in the study group (referred to as the Audrenisrou group) presented with symptoms of yaws during the study period (16% of individuals; data not shown) and full TPE genomes generated from lesion samples confirmed this pathogen is present in animals collected in the study group with these symptoms (Knauf et al, ). Chimpanzees in this ecosystem also appear to be infected with TPE , with next generation sequencing data from chimpanzee bones confirming a T. pallidum pathogen is present in these communities, although no samples from lesions are yet available to confirm infections (Gogarten et al, ).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…NHPs in TNP are also infected with TPE and present with severe lesions (Figure 1a; Gogarten et al, 2016;Knauf et al, 2018).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Tropical rainforest flies carrying pathogens form stable associations with social nonhuman primates

et al. 2019

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Living in groups provides benefits but also incurs costs such as attracting disease vectors. For example, synanthropic flies associate with human settlements, and higher fly densities increase pathogen transmission. We investigated whether such associations also exist in highly mobile nonhuman primate (NHP) Groups. We studied flies in a group of wild sooty mangabeys (Cercocebus atys atys) and three communities of wild chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes verus) in Taï National Park, Côte d'Ivoire. We observed markedly higher fly densities within both mangabey and chimpanzee groups. Using a mark–recapture experiment, we showed that flies stayed with the sooty mangabey group for up to 12 days and for up to 1.3 km. We also tested mangabey‐associated flies for pathogens infecting mangabeys in this ecosystem, Bacillus cereus biovar anthracis (Bcbva), causing sylvatic anthrax, and Treponema pallidum pertenue, causing yaws. Flies contained treponemal (6/103) and Bcbva (7/103) DNA. We cultured Bcbva from all PCR‐positive flies, confirming bacterial viability and suggesting that this bacterium might be transmitted and disseminated by flies. Whole genome sequences of Bcbva isolates revealed a diversity of Bcbva, probably derived from several sources. We conclude that flies actively track mangabeys and carry infectious bacterial pathogens; these associations represent an understudied cost of sociality and potentially expose many social animals to a diversity of pathogens.

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Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…NHPs in TNP are also infected with TPE and present with severe lesions (Figure 1a; Gogarten et al, 2016;Knauf et al, 2018).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Tropical rainforest flies carrying pathogens form stable associations with social nonhuman primates

et al. 2019

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“…In January 2014, sooty mangabeys from a habituated social group in TNP were observed with orofacial lesions and lesions of their distal extremities; two animals had been previously sampled and TPE was determined to be the cause of the infection [12]. Over the next two years, other individuals started showing genital ulcerations and necrotizing dermatitis on the inner parts of the thighs and ventral abdomen, often with visible yellow crusts.…”

Section: Study Sites and Samplesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Geographically structured genomic diversity of non-human primate-infecting Treponema pallidum subsp. pertenue

Mubemba

Gogarten

Schuenemann

et al. 2019

Preprint

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BackgroundIncreasing evidence suggests many non-human primate (NHP) species in sub-Saharan Africa are infected with Treponema pallidum subsp. pertenue (TPE), the bacterium causing yaws in humans. In humans, yaws is characterized by lesions of the extremities and face, while Treponema pallidum subsp. pallidum (TPA) causes venereal syphilis and is characterized by primary lesions on the genital, anal or oral mucosae, and has not been detected in NHPs. Due to a paucity of genetic data, it remains unclear whether other Treponema pallidum (TP) subspecies found in humans also occur in NHP and how the genomic diversity of TPE lineages that do occur in NHPs is distributed across hosts and space. MethodologyWe observed a combination of yaws-and syphilis-like symptoms in sooty mangabeys (Cercocebus atys atys) in Taï National Park (TNP), Côte d'Ivoire and collected swabs and biopsies from symptomatic animals. We also collected NHP bones from eight species from TNP, as well as from 19 species at 12 field sites across sub-Saharan Africa. Samples were screened for TP DNA using PCRs. In-solution hybridization capture coupled with high throughput sequencing was used to sequence TP genomes from positive samples. Principal findingsWe generated four nearly complete TP genomes from biopsies and swabs and five partial genomes from bones. Phylogenomic analyses revealed that both syphilis-and yaws-like lesions of sooty mangabeys within a single social group in TNP were caused by TPE. All TPE genomes determined from these sooty mangabeys were different and exhibited divergence levels not observed in TPE from a single species at any other field site where the disease seems to be epizootic. In general, simian TPE isolates did not form monophyletic clades based on host species or the type of symptoms caused by an isolate, but rather clustered based on geography. ConclusionsThere is a large diversity of TPE strains infecting NHPs in TNP. Our observations within a single social group of sooty mangabeys do not support the epizootic spread of a single clone, but rather points towards frequent independent introductions of the bacterium, which can cause syphilis-and yaws-like lesions. On a larger scale, the geographic clustering of TPE genomes might be compatible with cross-species transmission of TPE within ecosystems or environmental exposure leading to acquisition of closely related strains. Author's summaryIndividuals in several populations of wild non-human primates (NHP) in sub-Saharan Africa are infected with Treponema pallidum subsp. pertenue (TPE), a pathogen causing yaws disease in humans. In humans, yaws is characterized by skin lesions of the extremities and face. In contrast, Treponema pallidum subsp. pallidum, which causes venereal syphilis in humans, has not been observed in NHPs. We describe a combination of yaws-and syphilislike symptoms in a sooty mangabey (Cercocebus atys atys) social group in Taï National Park (TNP), Côte d'Ivoire. We sampled lesioned animals and collected and tested NHP bones from field sites across sub-Saha...

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Advancing the understanding of treponemal disease in the past and present

Baker

Crane-Kramer

Dee

et al. 2020

American J Phys Anthropol

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Syphilis was perceived to be a new disease in Europe in the late 15th century, igniting a debate about its origin that continues today in anthropological, historical, and medical circles. We move beyond this age-old debate using an interdisciplinary approach that tackles broader questions to advance the understanding of treponemal infection (syphilis, yaws, bejel, and pinta). How did the causative organism(s) and humans co-evolve? How did the related diseases caused by Treponema pallidum emerge in different parts of the world and affect people across both time and space? How are T. pallidum subspecies related to the treponeme causing pinta? The current state of scholarship in specific areas is reviewed with recommendations made to stimulate future work. Understanding treponemal biology, genetic relationships, epidemiology, and clinical manifestations is crucial for vaccine development today and for investigating the distribution of infection in both modern and past populations.Paleopathologists must improve diagnostic criteria and use a standard approach for recording skeletal lesions on archaeological human remains. Adequate contextualization of cultural and environmental conditions is necessary, including site dating and justification for any corrections made for marine or freshwater reservoir effects. Biogeochemical analyses may assess aquatic contributions to diet, physiological changes arising from treponemal disease and its treatments (e.g., mercury), or residential mobility of those affected. Shifting the focus from point of origin to investigating who is affected (e.g., by age/sex or socioeconomic status) and disease distribution (e.g., coastal/ inland, rural/urban) will advance our understanding of the treponemal disease and its impact on people through time. K E Y W O R D S archaeological biogeochemistry,

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Nonhuman primates across sub-Saharan Africa are infected with the yaws bacterium Treponema pallidum subsp. pertenue

Cited by 43 publications

References 13 publications

Tropical rainforest flies carrying pathogens form stable associations with social nonhuman primates

Tropical rainforest flies carrying pathogens form stable associations with social nonhuman primates

Geographically structured genomic diversity of non-human primate-infecting Treponema pallidum subsp. pertenue

Advancing the understanding of treponemal disease in the past and present

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