Infectious diseases of the great apes of Africa

The chimpanzee is the most extensively used ape in biomedical research. Its phylogenetic relationship to man has made it one of the most desirable of research animals. However, because of this closeness to man, the chimpanzee is highly susceptible to human (and other primate) infectious agents, particularly viruses. This susceptibility makes the chimpanzee the only known available test system for aetiological studies on such diseases as hepatitis, neurological diseases of suspected viral origin, etc. Very few infectious disease data are available on the gorilla. What is known suggests a parallelism with the chimpanzee and man. Serological data, however, strongly suggest that subclinical infection without overt disease occurs following contact with human and other animal infectious agents. The need for studies of infectious diseases in the wild is stressed. The susceptibility of these species to human disease incitants emphasizes the need for rigid precautions to avoid exposure and to maintain healthy animals.