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Primates and primatologists: social contexts for interspecies pathogen transmission
1Swedish/Cherry Hill Family Medicine, Seattle, Washington 98195, USA.
American Journal of Primatology
|September 21, 2011
Summary
Primatologists face significant occupational exposure risks to infectious agents from nonhuman primates (NHP). Their work with diverse NHP species across various settings increases the potential for zoonotic disease transmission.
Area of Science:
- Veterinary Medicine
- Primatology
- Infectious Diseases
Background:
- Human and nonhuman primate (NHP) interactions occur in diverse settings.
- Interspecies contact frequency, duration, and intensity affect cross-species pathogen transmission risk.
Purpose of the Study:
- To characterize occupational exposures to NHP among primatologists.
- To assess the risk of infectious agent exposure in this population.
Main Methods:
- A cross-sectional survey was conducted among attendees at a national primatology conference.
- Participants reported on their occupational history, including work settings, NHP taxa encountered, and injury history.
Main Results:
- Of 116 participants, most reported field (68.1%), laboratory (68.1%), or zoo/sanctuary (24.1%) work with NHP.
- 84.5% worked with multiple NHP taxa, and 39.7% with over five distinct taxa.
- High rates of injury were reported: 59.5% scratched, 41.1% bitten (32% multiple times), and 9.5% needle-stick injuries.
Conclusions:
- Primatologists experience substantial occupational exposure to NHP-borne infectious agents.
- Exposure to multiple NHP species in varied contexts elevates zoonotic and anthropozoonotic disease risk for primatologists.
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