Human viruses threaten primates

Caring for gorillas and chimpanzees for tourism purposes is seen as a way to conserve endangered primates. However, there are still concerns that tourism development may cause these wild animals to be infected with viral diseases in humans.

Hunting for commercial purposes and habitat loss are key factors causing the rapid decline of large gibbon species. Ecotourism along with research has been widely promoted as a way to bring new values ​​as well as habitat for gibbons. While close relationships with humans and gibbons have been introduced to new habitats that raise concerns about disease transmission, previous studies only mention the spread of viruses and parasites. moderately from humans to wild gibbons.

A study was carried out by scientists at the Robert Kock Institute (Berlin), Max Planck Institute for Anthropological Evolution (Leipzig) and the Center for Suisse des Recherches Scientifiques (Ivory Coast), which emphasized species-threatening diseases. gibbon. The study provides the first direct evidence of virus transmission from humans to gibbons . However, the study also points out that tourism projects along with other studies significantly limit chimpanzee hunting. This benefit has predominated over the significant chimpanzee mortality caused by human infectious diseases.

Christophe Boesch, director of chimpanzee projects at the Max Planck Institute for Anthropological Evolution - Leipzig, called for better hygiene measures when traveling with large primates.(Photo: Sonja Metzger / Max Planck Institute of Anthropological Evolution)

It has long been suspected that transmission of human respiratory diseases in places where wild apes have close contact with humans; But this is the first study to diagnose pathogens and determine the effect of population factors. Fabian Leendertz, the lead author of the study and an epidemiologist of wildlife epidemiology research at the Robert Koch Institute (Berlin), said: 'We need to pioneer strict implementation of measures. sanitary measures at all major tourist areas and gibbon research areas. One way to promote compliance is to certify these locations as a green labeling program currently applied to the wood industry. '

The study uses interdisciplinary methods including behavioral ecology, animal medicine, microbiology and biology to understand the pathways of transmission of diseases from people to gibbon communities in national parks. I (Ivory Coast). Here for the first time chimpanzees were familiarized with human presence in 1982. Samples of chimpanzees who died in a series of outbreaks in 1999 had a result. positive for 2 types of respiratory viruses in humans. The two types of respiratory syncytial virus in this person are syncytial and metapneumovirus, which are also major causes of child mortality in developing countries.

Samples of viruses taken from chimpanzees related to pandemics are still raging in the Chinese and Argentine communities . This shows that these epidemics have recently been transmitted from chimpanzees to chimpanzees recently. The authors of the study also applied clinical observation and demographic analysis to deduce similar respiratory respiratory outbreaks that may have occurred in 1986.

However, research projects also have certain positive effects. Longitudinal surveys have demonstrated the presence of researchers that prevented hunting of gibbons from surrounding areas. As a result, the density of gibbons at the study site as well as at nearby tourist sites has increased above expectations even though hunters still have access to these locations. Christophe Boesch of Max Planck Institute for Anthropological Evolution (Leizig), co-author of the research and also directing the research project at Taï national park, said: 'The presence of houses Clear research has had a great positive effect in protecting this land. However, there is still a need to pay attention to some sanitation issues. '

Paul N'Goran, a researcher at the Center for Suisse de Recherches Scientifiques en Côte d'Ivoire, said: 'The study has confirmed that interdisciplinary methods are necessary to explore the various issues in the conservation program. gibbon species Our research shows the essential role of scientific research in controlling the effects and effectiveness of conservation campaigns'.

Reference: Sophie Köndgen, Hjalmar Kühl, Paul K. N'Goran, Peter D. Walsh, Svenja Schenk, Nancy Ernst, Roman Biek, Pierre Formenty, Kerstin Mätz-Rensing, Brunhilde Schweiger, Sandra Junglen, Heinz Ellerbrok, Andreas Nitsche, Thomas Briese, W. Ian Lipkin, Georg Pauli, Christophe Boesch, and Fabian H. Leendertz. Pandemic virus in humans reduces the number of large primates that are currently threatened, Current biology, January 2008.