Anthrax kills wild chimpanzees in a tropical rainforest

Area of Science:

• Ecology
• Pathogen research
• Primate health

Background:

• Infectious diseases are emerging threats to wild great ape survival, alongside habitat loss and hunting.
• Limited knowledge exists regarding the specific pathogens affecting wild ape populations.
• Sudden deaths in chimpanzee communities necessitate urgent investigation into causative agents.

Purpose of the Study:

• To identify the cause of an unusual number of sudden deaths in wild chimpanzee communities.
• To investigate the role of infectious agents in primate mortality.
• To determine if Bacillus anthracis affects non-human primates in tropical rainforest ecosystems.

Main Methods:

• Conducted pathological, cytological, and molecular investigations on deceased chimpanzees.
• Analyzed samples to identify specific causative agents.
• Monitored chimpanzee populations over a nine-month period.

Main Results:

• Identified Bacillus anthracis as the cause of death in at least six wild chimpanzees.
• Confirmed the presence of anthrax in a tropical rainforest habitat, previously unknown for this pathogen.
• Documented the rapid onset, high fatality rate, and septicaemia characteristic of anthrax infections.

Conclusions:

• Epidemic diseases, such as anthrax, pose substantial threats to wild ape populations.
• Anthrax in wildlife presents a potential zoonotic risk through bushmeat consumption.
• Further research is needed to understand and mitigate infectious disease threats to great apes.