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Drug-Resistant Human Staphylococcus Aureus in Sanctuary Apes Pose a Threat to Endangered Wild Ape Populations

  1. FRIEDER SCHAUMBURG1,
  2. LAWRENCE MUGISHA2,3,
  3. BRUCE PECK4,
  4. KARSTEN BECKER1,
  5. THOMAS R. GILLESPIE5,6,
  6. GEORG PETERS1,
  7. FABIAN H. LEENDERTZ1,*

Article first published online: 21 AUG 2012

DOI: 10.1002/ajp.22067

Issue

American Journal of Primatology

American Journal of Primatology

Volume 74, Issue 12, pages 1071–1075, December 2012

Additional Information

How to Cite

SCHAUMBURG, F., MUGISHA, L., PECK, B., BECKER, K., GILLESPIE, T. R., PETERS, G. and LEENDERTZ, F. H. (2012), Drug-Resistant Human Staphylococcus Aureus in Sanctuary Apes Pose a Threat to Endangered Wild Ape Populations. Am. J. Primatol., 74: 1071–1075. doi: 10.1002/ajp.22067

Author Information

  1. 1

    Institute of Medical Microbiology, University Hospital Münster, Münster, Germany

  2. 2

    College of Veterinary Medicine, Animal Resources and Biosecurity, Makerere University, Kampala, Uganda

  3. 3

    Conservation & Ecosystem Health Alliance (CEHA), Kampala, Uganda

  4. 4

    Chimfunshi Wildlife Orphanage, Chingola, Zambia

  5. 5

    Department of Environmental Studies and Program in Population Biology, Ecology, and Evolution, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia

  6. 6

    Department of Environmental Health,, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia

**Correspondence to: Fabian Leendertz, Robert Koch-Institut, Postfach 650261, 13302 Berlin, Germany. E-mail: LeendertzF@rki.de

  1. Contract grant sponsor: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft; Contract grant numbers: EI 247/8–1, LE 1813/4–1; Contract grant sponsor: BMBF; Contract grant numbers: 01KI1009A, 0315832A.

Publication History

  1. Issue published online: 20 NOV 2012
  2. Article first published online: 21 AUG 2012
  3. Manuscript Accepted: 8 JUL 2012
  4. Manuscript Revised: 4 JUN 2012
  5. Manuscript Received: 22 APR 2012

Funded by

  • Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft. Grant Numbers: EI 247/8–1, LE 1813/4–1
  • BMBF. Grant Numbers: 01KI1009A, 0315832A

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Keywords:

  • Staphylococcus aureus;
  • wildlife;
  • reintroduction;
  • transmission;
  • great apes;
  • Africa

Reintroduction of sanctuary apes to natural habitat is considered an important tool for conservation; however, reintroduction has the potential to endanger resident wild apes through the introduction of human pathogens. We found a high prevalence of drug-resistant, human-associated lineages of Staphylococcus aureus in sanctuary chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes) from Zambia and Uganda. This pathogen is associated with skin and soft tissue diseases and severe invasive infections (i.e. pneumonia and septicemia). Colonization by this bacterium is difficult to clear due to frequent recolonization. In addition to its pathogenic potential, human-related S. aureus can serve as an indicator organism for the transmission of other potential pathogens like pneumococci or mycobacteria. Plans to reintroduce sanctuary apes should be reevaluated in light of the high risk of introducing human-adapted S. aureus into wild ape populations where treatment is impossible. Am. J. Primatol. 74:1071-1075, 2012. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

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