Pasteurella multocida Involved in Respiratory Disease of Wild Chimpanzees

Pasteurella multocida can cause a variety of diseases in various species of mammals and birds throughout the world but nothing is known about its importance for wild great apes. In this study we isolated P. multocida from wild living, habituated chimpanzees from Taï National Park, Côte d'Ivoire. Isolates originated from two chimpanzees that died during a respiratory disease outbreak in 2004 as well as from one individual that developed chronic air-sacculitis following this outbreak. Four isolates were subjected to a full phenotypic and molecular characterisation. Two different clones were identified using pulsed field gel electrophoresis. Multi Locus Sequence Typing (MLST) enabled the identification of previous unknown alleles and two new sequence types, ST68 and ST69, were assigned. Phylogenetic analysis of the superoxide dismutase (sodA) gene and concatenated sequences from seven MLST-housekeeping genes showed close clustering within known P. multocida isolated from various hosts and geographic locations. Due to the clinical relevance of the strains described here, these results make an important contribution to our knowledge of pathogens involved in lethal disease outbreaks among endangered great apes

Содовые подземные воды юга-востока Западной Сибири: определение и распространение

Дается определение понятия "содовые воды", приводятся условия локализации подземных содовых вод на юго-востоке Западной Сибири и некоторые их химические особенности. Definition of the term "soda water", the conditions of localization of underground soda waters on the South-East of Western Siberia and some of their chemical features are given

Kiwira Virus, a Newfound Hantavirus Discovered in Free-Tailed Bats (Molossidae) in East and Central Africa

This research article was published in the Journals of Viruses Volume 14, Issue 11, 2022A novel hantavirus, named Kiwira virus, was molecularly detected in six Angolan free- tailed bats (Mops condylurus, family Molossidae) captured in Tanzania and in one free-tailed bat in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Hantavirus RNA was found in different organs, with the highest loads in the spleen. Nucleotide sequences of large parts of the genomic S and L segments were determined by in-solution hybridisation capture and high throughput sequencing. Phylogenetic analyses placed Kiwira virus into the genus Mobatvirus of the family Hantaviridae, with the bat-infecting Quezon virus and Robina virus as closest relatives. The detection of several infected individuals in two African countries, including animals with systemic hantavirus infection, provides evidence of active replication and a stable circulation of Kiwira virus in M. condylurus bats and points to this species as a natural host. Since the M. condylurus home range covers large regions of Sub-Saharan Africa and the species is known to roost inside and around human dwellings, a potential spillover of the Kiwira virus to humans must be considered

Nodular Worm Infection in Wild Chimpanzees in Western Uganda: A Risk for Human Health?

This study focused on Oeosophagostomum sp., and more especially on O. bifurcum, as a parasite that can be lethal to humans and is widespread among humans and monkeys in endemic regions, but has not yet been documented in apes. Its epidemiology and the role played by non-human primates in its transmission are still poorly understood. O. stephanostomum was the only species diagnosed so far in chimpanzees. Until recently, O. bifurcum was assumed to have a high zoonotic potential, but recent findings tend to demonstrate that O. bifurcum of non-human primates and humans might be genetically distinct. As the closest relative to human beings, and a species living in spatial proximity to humans in the field site studied, Pan troglodytes is thus an interesting host to investigate. Recently, a role for chimpanzees in the emergence of HIV and malaria in humans has been documented. In the framework of our long-term health monitoring of wild chimpanzees from Kibale National Park in Western Uganda, we analysed 311 samples of faeces. Coproscopy revealed that high-ranking males are more infected than other individuals. These chimpanzees are also the more frequent crop-raiders. Results from PCR assays conducted on larvae and dried faeces also revealed that O. stephanostomum as well as O. bifurcum are infecting chimpanzees, both species co-existing in the same individuals. Because contacts between humans and great apes are increasing with ecotourism and forest fragmentation in areas of high population density, this paper emphasizes that the presence of potential zoonotic parasites should be viewed as a major concern for public health. Investigations of the parasite status of people living around the park or working inside as well as sympatric non-human primates should be planned, and further research might reveal this as a promising aspect of efforts to reinforce measures against crop-raiding

Synopse virologischer Analysen im Nationalen Referenzzentrum für Influenzaviren während der COVID-19-Pandemie

Das Nationale Referenzzentrum für Influenzaviren gewinnt durch die fortlaufende Untersuchung von Proben aus den Sentinelpraxen der Arbeitsgemeinschaft Influenza einen umfassenden Überblick über die zirkulierenden respiratorischen Erreger in Deutschland. Dazu gehören neben SARS-CoV-2 und den Influenzaviren auch das Respiratorische Synzytialvirus, Parainfluenzaviren, humane Metapneumoviren, humane saisonale Coronaviren und humane Rhinoviren. Die Analyseergebnisse von 15.660 Sentinelproben sowie weiteren Isolaten im Zeitraum von Kalenderwoche 5/2020 bis 21/2022 werden im Epidemiologischen Bulletin 22/2022 vorgestellt. Beschrieben werden außerdem die Zirkulation respiratorischer Erreger im Vergleich zu vorpandemischen Saisons, die molekulare Charakterisierung und phylogenetische Analysen, die Überprüfung der Passgenauigkeit der eingesetzten Influenzaimpfstoffe und die Resistenzprüfung von Influenzaviren

Nachweis und Charakterisierung respiratorischer Krankheitserreger bei habituierten, wildlebenden Schimpansen (Pan troglodytes verus) des Taï Nationalparks, Côte d'Ivoire

Respiratorische Erkrankungen sind eine der größten Bedrohungen für wildlebende Menschenaffen, die für die Wissenschaft oder Tourismus an die Anwesenheit des Menschen gewöhnt (habituiert) wurden. Trotz dieser Bedrohung fehlen bisher genaue Untersuchungen zu den dafür verantwortlichen Erregern. Bei drei habituierten Schimpansengruppen des Taï Nationalparks (Côte d’Ivoire) wurden zwischen 1999 und 2006 fünf verschiedene respiratorische Krankheitsausbrüche dokumentiert von denen drei hohe Morbiditäts- und Mortalitätsraten aufwiesen. Insgesamt konnte bei sieben verstorbenen Individuen eine Sektion durchgeführt werden, wobei in allen Fällen durch nachfolgende histopathologische Untersuchungen eine eitrige Lungenentzündung festgestellt wurde. Basierend auf diesen Voruntersuchungen waren die genaue Charakterisierung der verantwortlichen Erreger sowie die Identifikation möglicher Infektionsquellen Hauptziele dieser Arbeit. Zum Nachweis ursächlicher Krankheitserreger wurden Lungengewebeproben mittels PCR auf ein breites Spektrum respiratorischer Erreger untersucht. Alle untersuchten Proben waren positiv für eines von zwei Paramyxoviren, dem humanen respiratorischem Synzytialvirus (HRSV) oder dem humanen Metapneumovirus (HMPV). Phylogenetische Untersuchungen der in den Schimpansen detektierten Virusstämme zeigten eine enge Verwandtschaft zu Stämmen, die zeitgleich weltweit in der menschlichen Bevölkerung zirkulierten. Dies ist der erste Hinweis auf eine anthropozoonotische Virusübertragung auf wildlebende Menschenaffen und legt nahe, dass der enge Kontakt zwischen Menschen und Menschenaffen - der sowohl bei wissenschaftlichen als auch touristischen Projekten gegeben ist - eine ernstzunehmende Bedrohung für diese Tiere darstellt. In Voruntersuchungen zu möglichen bakteriellen Krankheitserregern ergaben sich Hinweise auf das Vorhandensein von Pasteurella multocida. Der Keim wurde aus dem Lungengewebe einiger Individuen angezüchtet und die verschiedenen Isolate einer breiten phäno- und genotypischen Charakterisierung unterworfen. Dies stellt die erste Beschreibung von P. multocida bei wildlebenden Schimpansen dar. Es wurden zwei unterschiedliche Stämme identifiziert, die beide eine große Ähnlichkeit zu bisher beschriebenen Stämmen von Wirten unterschiedlichster Spezies und Herkunft zeigten. Die lässt vermuten, dass Schimpansen in die Epidemiologie von P. multocida involviert sind. Ob Schimpansen jedoch natürliche Träger dieses Bakteriums sind, oder ob dieses von anderen Tieren übertragen wurde, ist Thema weiterer Studien. Ein weiteres Ziel dieser Arbeit war die Etablierung nicht-invasiver diagnostischer Methoden, welche die systematische Untersuchung respiratorischer Erreger ermöglichen, ohne dabei das natürliche Verhalten der Schimpansen zu stören. Dafür wurden Faezes-Proben, die sowohl während als auch zwischen den respiratorischen Krankheitsausbrüchen gesammelt wurden mittels PCR auf HRSV und HMPV getestet. Hierdurch war es möglich, die verantwortlichen Erreger - auch von nicht letalen Ausbrüchen - zu identifizieren, die Virusprävalenz innerhalb einer größeren Studiengruppe zu evaluieren und die detektierten Viren phylogenetisch zu analysieren. Es konnte gezeigt werden, dass die Untersuchung von Faezes-Proben eine geeignete Methode darstellt, um ursächliche Krankheitserreger akuter respiratorischer Erkrankungen bei wildlebenden Schimpansen zu identifizieren. Nur ein tiefgehendes Verständnis der involvierten Erreger kann dazu beitragen, neue Strategien zur Prävention und Kontrolle zukünftiger Krankheitsausbrüche zu entwickeln. Aus diesem Grund sind die hier vorgestellten Untersuchungen für den Schutz von Menschenaffen von größter Relevanz.Respiratory diseases are one of the most important threats to wild great apes habituated to human presence for research or tourism. However, the aetiological agents of such diseases have not been documented so far. Between 1999 and 2006 five distinct respiratory disease outbreaks hit three communities of habituated chimpanzees at our research site in Taï National Park, Côte d’Ivoire. Three of the outbreaks resulted in high morbiditiy and mortality. Necropsies were performed on seven individuals found shortly after death and histopathologic examination revealed the presence of purulent bronchopneumonia. Based on these examinations, the main objective of the present study was to identify and characterise the causative pathogens and determine possible sources of infection. Lung tissue samples were screened by PCR for a broad range of respiratory viruses. All samples tested were positive for either of two paramyxoviruses, the human respiratory syncytial virus (HRSV) or the human metapneumovirus (HMPV). To establish the origin of the viruses found, phylogenetic analyses were performed and revealed that the strains were closely related to strains circulating in contemporaneous, worldwide human epidemics. This represents the first direct evidence of anthropozoonotic virus transmission to wild great apes, suggesting that the close approach of humans to apes, which is central to both research and tourism programs, represents a serious threat to these animals. Furthermore, isolation of bacteria was performed and revealed that some of the deceased individuals were co-infected with Pasteurella multocida. Isolates were subjected to a detailed pheno- and genotypic characterisation providing the first description of P. multocida in wild living chimpanzees. Two different strains were identified, both showing high similarity to previously described strains from different host and geographical locations. This suggests that chimpanzees are involved in the epidemiology of P. multocida. The question of whether this bacterium is carried naturally by chimpanzees or was transmitted by other animals will be investigated in further studies. To systematically evaluate the occurrence of respiratory pathogens without disturbing the chimpanzees’ natural behaviour, the establishment of non-invasive diagnostics was another aim of this work. Therefore, faecal samples which had been collected during and between outbreaks were tested for HRSV and HMPV by PCR. Using this approach it was possible to identify the causative agents of lethal as well as of non-lethal outbreaks, to evaluate the virus prevalence among a larger study group, and to perform phylogenetic analyses of the viruses detected. This demonstrates that the screening of faecal samples is a suitable tool for monitoring acute respiratory diseases in wild living chimpanzees. This is the first systematic study of respiratory diseases in wild great apes. The results presented are of great relevance for future conservation strategies as a deeper knowledge of the involved pathogens may help to prevent or mitigate future disease outbreaks

Noninvasive monitoring of respiratory viruses in wild chimpanzees.

To diagnose respiratory disease among wild great apes, there is a need for noninvasive diagnostic methods. Therefore, we analyzed fecal samples from habituated chimpanzees from Taï National Park, Côte d'Ivoire. Samples had been collected during four distinct outbreaks: two with known aetiology (March 2004 and February 2006) and two with unknown aetiology (October 2004 and August 2005). Fecal samples were screened by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) for the presence of human metapneumovirus (HMPV) and human respiratory syncytial virus (HRSV), two paramyxoviruses previously found in lung tissue of chimpanzees that died due to respiratory disease. In the March 2004 outbreak, 72% of the tested individuals were positive for HMPV, and during the 2006 epidemic, 25% tested HRSV-positive. In the outbreaks where no causative pathogen was previously known, fecal samples tested positive for either HRSV or HMPV, showing that reinfection occurred. Virus sequences were generated and compared with sequences previously found in tissue; nearly identical virus sequences in both tissue and fecal samples were found. These results demonstrate that fecal samples collected during outbreak times can be used for the diagnostic and phylogenetic analysis of HMPV and HRSV. Using such diagnostic tools, systematic noninvasive disease investigation of respiratory outbreaks in wild great apes becomes possible. The methods presented here may also be applied for the investigation of further acute diseases in great apes and other species

Evaluation of Non-Invasive Biological Samples to Monitor Staphylococcus aureus Colonization in Great Apes and Lemurs

Introduction: Reintroduction of endangered animals as part of conservational programs bears the risk of importing human pathogens from the sanctuary to the natural habitat. One bacterial pathogen that serves as a model organism to analyze this transmission is Staphylococcus aureus as it can colonize and infect both humans and animals. The aim of this study was to evaluate the utility of various biological samples to monitor S. aureus colonization in great apes and lemurs. Methods: Mucosal swabs from wild lemurs (n=25, Kirindy, Madagascar), feces, oral and genital swabs from captive chimpanzees (n=58, Ngamba and Entebbe, Uganda) and fruit wadges and feces from wild chimpanzees (n=21, Taï National Parc, Côte d’Ivoire) were screened for S. aureus. Antimicrobial resistance and selected virulence factors were tested for each isolate. Sequence based genotyping (spa typing, multilocus sequence typing) was applied to assess the population structure of S. aureus. Results: Oro-pharyngeal carriage of S. aureus was high in lemurs (72%, n=18) and captive chimpanzees (69.2%, n=27 and 100%, n=6, respectively). Wild chimpanzees shed S. aureus through feces (43.8, n=7) and fruit wadges (54.5, n=12). Analysis of multiple sampling revealed that two samples are sufficient to detect those animals which shed S. aureus through feces or fruit wadges. Genotyping showed that captive animals are more frequently colonized with human-associated S. aureus lineages. Conclusion: Oro-pharyngeal swabs are useful to screen for S. aureus colonization in apes and lemurs before reintroduction. Duplicates of stool and fruit wadges reliably detect S. aureus shedding in wild chimpanzees. We propose to apply these sampling strategies in future reintroduction programs to screen for S. aureus colonization. They may also be useful to monitor S. aureus in wild populations

Virologische Analysen in der Influenzasaison 2019/20

Die hier vorgestellten Ergebnisse des Nationalen Referenzzentrums für Influenzaviren umfassen Daten zu innerhalb des Sentinels der AGI isolierten Viren und von Viren, die im Rahmen von Ausbrüchen, der Untersuchung schwerer Erkrankungsfälle und von Typisierungsanfragen oder Projekten untersucht wurden sowie von Isolaten aus Einsendungen von Instituten und Gesundheitsämtern. Untersuchungen zur weiterführenden Charakterisierung von RSV und weiteren respiratorischen Viren wurden darüber hinaus bei einer Subpopulation der Sentinelproben vom Konsiliarlabor für RSV, PIV und HMPV durchgeführt. Ab der 9. KW 2020 wurden Untersuchungen auf SARS-CoV-2 integriert