Abstract
There are limited data on the efficacy of antiparasitic treatments and husbandry methods to control nematode infections in captive populations of African green monkeys (AGMs), Chlorocebus sabaeus. In faecal egg count (FEC) tests, 10 of the 11 (91%) adult male AGMs captured from the large feral population on the island of St Kitts had evidence of nematode infections, mostly Capillaria (8/11, 73%), Trichuris trichiura (7/11, 64%) and strongylid species (7/11, 64%) specifically (hookworm and Trichostrongylus, 50/50), but also Strongyloides fuelleborni (1/11, 9%). When kept in individual cages with cleaning and feeding regimens to prevent reinfections and treated concurrently with ivermectin (300 µg/kg, given subcutaneously) and albendazole (10 mg/kg, given orally) daily for 3 days, 60% (6/10) of the AGMs were negative at a follow-up FEC at 3 months and by FEC and necropsy at the end of the study 5–8 months later. One monkey appeared to have been reinfected with T. trichiura after being negative by FEC at 3 months post-treatment. Four AGMs were positive for T. trichiura at the 3 month FEC follow-up but were negative at the end of the study after one further treatment regimen. Although initially being cleared of Capillaria following treatment, three AGMs were found to be infected at the end of the study. The ivermectin and albendazole treatment regimen coupled with good husbandry practices to prevent reinfections effectively controlled nematode infections in captive AGMs.
Highlights
Chlorocebus sabaeus, African green monkeys (AGMs) of the Cercopithecidae family, widely found in Africa, were introduced onto the Caribbean island of St Kitts in the 17th century (McGuire 1974)
We provide a more complete description of the nematode parasites present in AGMs on St Kitts and evaluate a treatment protocol and husbandry practices to control infections in captive AGMs
Ten of the eleven (91%) wild-caught adult C. sabaeus study subjects, all male, employed in the study were infected with a variety of nematodes: Capillaria (8/11, 73%), T. trichiura (7/11, 64%), strongylids (7/11, 64%; hookworms and Trichostrongylus [50/50]) and Strongyloides fuelleborni (S. fuelleborni) (1/11, 9%) (Tables 2 and 3)
Summary
Chlorocebus sabaeus, African green monkeys (AGMs) of the Cercopithecidae family, widely found in Africa, were introduced onto the Caribbean island of St Kitts in the 17th century (McGuire 1974). There are limited data on effective anthelmintic treatments for AGMs and husbandry recommendations to control parasitic infections in captive research animals. Chapman et al (2016) reported that two doses of ivermectin (300 μg/kg, PO) 5 days apart resulted in a 100% cure rate for nematodes in wild AGMs, with no eggs found in the faeces 1 month posttreatment. We provide a more complete description of the nematode parasites present in AGMs on St Kitts and evaluate a treatment protocol and husbandry practices to control infections in captive AGMs. The St Kitts Biomedical Research Foundation (SKBRF) and translational research affiliate Virscio, Inc. are American Association of Accredited Laboratory Animal Care (AAALAC)-accredited biomedical research facilities for integrated preclinical research and development with a multidisciplinary non-human primate focus. Eggs were identified to the species level whenever possible using described morphological characteristics (Modrý et al 2015) (Table 1 and Figure 1)
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