Retrospective Serology Study of Respiratory Virus Infections in Captive Great Apes

Hester Buitendijk,Zahra Fagrouch,Henk Niphuis,Ernst Verschoor,Willy Bogers,Kristin Warren

doi:10.3390/v6031442

Hester Buitendijk, Zahra Fagrouch + Show 4 more

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https://doi.org/10.3390/v6031442

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Journal: Viruses	Publication Date: Mar 24, 2014
Citations: 62	License type: CC BY 4.0

Affiliation: Biomedical Primate Research Centre, Murdoch University

Abstract

Great apes are extremely sensitive to infections with human respiratory viruses. In this study, we retrospectively analyzed sera from captive chimpanzees, gorillas and orang-utans. More than 1000 sera (403 chimpanzee, 77 gorilla, and 535 orang-utan sera) were analyzed for antibodies to the human respiratory viruses RSV (respiratory syncytial virus, hMPV (human metapneumovirus), H1N1 and H3N2 influenza A viruses, and influenza B virus. In all ape species high seroprevalences were found for RSV, hMPV, and influenza B virus. A high percentage of captive chimpanzees also showed evidence of influenza A H1N1 infections, and had low levels of H3N2 antibodies, while in sera from gorillas and orang-utans antibody levels to influenza A and B viruses were much lower or practically absent. Transmission of respiratory viruses was examined in longitudinal sera of young chimpanzees, and in chimpanzee sera taken during health checks. In young animals isolated cases of influenza infections were monitored, but evidence was found for single introductions followed by a rapid dissemination of RSV and hMPV within the group. Implementation of strict guidelines for handling and housing of nonhuman primates was shown to be an efficient method to reduce the introduction of respiratory infections in colonies of captive animals. RSV seroprevalence rates of chimpanzees remained high, probably due to circulating virus in the chimpanzee colony.

Highlights

The transfer of nonhuman primate viruses to humans in the past and present has been extensively documented [1,2]
Viruses like human metapneumovirus, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), or influenza viruses have repeatedly caused outbreaks of flu-like disease with high morbidity, and deaths amongst chimpanzees and gorillas have been attributed to infections with these pathogens [15]
To extend our knowledge on the prevalence and transfer of human respiratory viruses to captive apes, we investigated three species of great apes for antibodies to four common respiratory viruses: human metapneumovirus (hMPV), RSV, influenza A virus, and influenza B virus

Summary

Introduction

The transfer of nonhuman primate viruses to humans in the past and present has been extensively documented [1,2]. Several reports have been published detailing human respiratory viruses infecting wild African apes. Viruses like human metapneumovirus (hMPV), respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), or influenza viruses have repeatedly caused outbreaks of flu-like disease with high morbidity, and deaths amongst chimpanzees and gorillas have been attributed to infections with these pathogens [15]. According to the at that time current husbandry guidelines, babies were left with their mothers in a family group until they were at least 2 years old. They were moved to a peer group of animals of the same age category, which was housed in a separate building. The two animals with a clear antibody peak at the first sampling time-point, #1 and

Results

Discussion

Conclusion