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Drug‐Resistant Human S taphylococcus Aureus in Sanctuary Apes Pose a Threat to Endangered Wild Ape Populations

2012; Wiley; Volume: 74; Issue: 12 Linguagem: Inglês

10.1002/ajp.22067

1098-2345

Frieder Schaumburg, Lawrence Mugisha, Bruce Peck, Karsten Becker, Thomas R. Gillespie, Georg Peters, Fabian H. Leendertz,

Herpesvirus Infections and Treatments

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 S taphylococcus aureus in sanctuary chimpanzees ( P an 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.