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Stewart BM, Joyce MM, Creeggan J, Eccles S, Gerwing MG, Turner SE. Primates and disability: Behavioral flexibility and implications for resilience to environmental change. Am J Primatol 2023:e23579. [PMID: 38050800 DOI: 10.1002/ajp.23579] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/26/2023] [Revised: 11/06/2023] [Accepted: 11/17/2023] [Indexed: 12/06/2023]
Abstract
Congenital malformations, conditions, injuries, and illness can lead to long-term physical impairment and disability in nonhuman primates. How individual primates change their behaviors flexibly to compensate for their disabilities can inform our understanding of their resilience and ability to adjust to environmental change. Here, we synthesize the literature on nonhuman primates and disability, addressing the questions: how does disability influence behavior in primates? What insights can we take from the literature to better understand and predict the capacity of primates to modify their behaviors in the face of human-induced environmental change? We conducted a systematic review of the literature on spontaneous physical impairment and disability in captive, free-ranging, and wild primates. We surveyed 2807 articles on Web of Science and Scopus and identified 114 studies that fit our predetermined inclusion criteria. Behavioral plasticity, maternal and conspecific care, and the potential for innovation of novel behaviors allow many primates with disabilities to compensate when faced with challenges that are outside the scope of usual circumstances. We also found that 60% of the publications connected primate physical impairment and disability to human activities, suggesting an entangled relationship among humans, the environment, and primate disability. Disability and physical impairments provide an opportunity to examine how primates modify their behavior when presented with challenging conditions, and their potential resilience to a changing environment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brogan M Stewart
- Department of Geography, Planning, and Environment, Concordia University, Montreal, Québec, Canada
| | - Megan M Joyce
- Department of Geography, Planning, and Environment, Concordia University, Montreal, Québec, Canada
| | - Jack Creeggan
- Department of Geography, Planning, and Environment, Concordia University, Montreal, Québec, Canada
| | - Stephanie Eccles
- Department of Geography, Planning, and Environment, Concordia University, Montreal, Québec, Canada
| | - Mikaela G Gerwing
- Department of Geography, Planning, and Environment, Concordia University, Montreal, Québec, Canada
| | - Sarah E Turner
- Department of Geography, Planning, and Environment, Concordia University, Montreal, Québec, Canada
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2
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Mathematical modelling Treponema infection in free-ranging Olive baboons (Papio anubis) in Tanzania. Epidemics 2022; 41:100638. [PMID: 36283270 DOI: 10.1016/j.epidem.2022.100638] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/03/2022] [Revised: 09/24/2022] [Accepted: 10/03/2022] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Yaws is a chronic infection caused by the bacterium Treponema pallidum susp. pertenue (TPE) that was thought to be an exclusive human pathogen but was recently found and confirmed in nonhuman primates. In this paper, we develop the first compartmental ODE model for TPE infection with treatment of wild olive baboons. We solve for disease-free and endemic equilibria and give conditions on local and global stability of the disease-free equilibrium. We calibrate the model based on the data from Lake Manyara National Park in Tanzania. We use the model to help the park managers devise an effective strategy for treatment. We show that an increasing treatment rate yields a decrease in disease prevalence. This indicates that TPE can be eliminated through intense management in closed population. Specifically, we show that if the whole population is treated at least once every 5-6 years, a disease-free equilibrium can be reached. Furthermore, we demonstrate that to see a substantial decrease of TPE infection to near-elimination levels within 15 years, the whole population needs to be treated every 2-3 years.
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3
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Köster PC, Lapuente J, Cruz I, Carmena D, Ponce-Gordo F. Human-Borne Pathogens: Are They Threatening Wild Great Ape Populations? Vet Sci 2022; 9:356. [PMID: 35878373 PMCID: PMC9323791 DOI: 10.3390/vetsci9070356] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/17/2022] [Revised: 07/07/2022] [Accepted: 07/12/2022] [Indexed: 12/04/2022] Open
Abstract
Climate change and anthropic activities are the two main factors explaining wild great ape habitat reduction and population decline. The extent to which human-borne infectious diseases are contributing to this trend is still poorly understood. This is due to insufficient or fragmented knowledge on the abundance and distribution of current wild great ape populations, the difficulty obtaining optimal biological samples for diagnostic testing, and the scarcity of pathogen typing data of sufficient quality. This review summarises current information on the most clinically relevant pathogens of viral, bacterial, parasitic, and fungal nature for which transmission from humans to wild great apes is suspected. After appraising the robustness of available epidemiological and/or molecular typing evidence, we attempt to categorise each pathogen according to its likelihood of truly being of human origin. We further discuss those agents for which anthroponotic transmission is more likely. These include two viral (Human Metapneumovirus and Respiratory Syncytial Virus), one bacterial (diarrhoeagenic Escherichia coli), and two parasitic (Cryptosporidium spp. and Giardia duodenalis) pathogens. Finally, we identify the main drawbacks impairing research on anthroponotic pathogen transmission in wild great apes and propose research lines that may contribute to bridging current knowledge gaps.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pamela C. Köster
- Parasitology Reference and Research Laboratory, Spanish National Centre for Microbiology, Health Institute Carlos III, Majadahonda, 28220 Madrid, Spain;
| | - Juan Lapuente
- Comoé Chimpanzee Conservation Project (CCCP) Comoé N.P., Kakpin, Côte d’Ivoire;
| | - Israel Cruz
- National School of Public Health, Health Institute Carlos III, 28029 Madrid, Spain;
- Center for Biomedical Research Network (CIBER) in Infectious Diseases, Health Institute Carlos III, Majadahonda, 28220 Madrid, Spain
| | - David Carmena
- Parasitology Reference and Research Laboratory, Spanish National Centre for Microbiology, Health Institute Carlos III, Majadahonda, 28220 Madrid, Spain;
- Center for Biomedical Research Network (CIBER) in Infectious Diseases, Health Institute Carlos III, Majadahonda, 28220 Madrid, Spain
| | - Francisco Ponce-Gordo
- Department of Microbiology and Parasitology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Complutense University of Madrid, 28040 Madrid, Spain
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Zhou Y, Gao G, Zhang X, Gao B, Duan C, Zhu H, Barbera AR, Halcrow S, Pechenkina K. Identifying treponemal disease in early East Asia. AMERICAN JOURNAL OF BIOLOGICAL ANTHROPOLOGY 2022. [PMCID: PMC9545539 DOI: 10.1002/ajpa.24526] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
Objectives Historic records suggest that a virulent form of treponematosis, sexually transmitted syphilis was introduced to Asia from Europe by the da Gama crew, who landed in India in 1498. Our objective is to assess the gross pathology of human skeletal remains from the Tang dynasty of China to test the presence of treponemal infection in East Asia before 1498. We interpret this paleopathological evidence in the context of site ecology and sociocultural changes during the Tang dynasty. Materials and methods We examined the gross pathology of 1598 human skeletons from Xingfulindai (AD 618 to AD 1279) archeological site located on the Central Plain of China. Using the modified diagnostic criteria defined by Hackett's classical work, we classify the pathology as consistent, strongly suggestive, or pathognomonic for treponemal infection. Results Twelve adult individuals from Xingfulindai had bone lesions suggestive of systemic pathology. Two of these individuals displayed a combination of lesion patterns pathognomonic of treponemal disease and one had lesions consistent with treponematosis. The radiocarbon dates for the bone samples from these skeletons place them before AD 1200. Conclusions The location of Xingfulindai in a continental climatic zone is not typical for yaws and bejel ecology, because these strains occur in the tropics, or in hot, dry environments, respectively. The urban setting, where there is documented evidence for increased interaction between multiple ethnic groups and a developed institution of courtesans during the Tang dynasty, favors sexually transmitted syphilis as the more likely diagnosis. This study supports an earlier spread of syphilis to China than 1498.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yawei Zhou
- College of History Zhengzhou University Zhengzhou Henan China
| | - Guoshuai Gao
- School of Archaeology Jilin University Changchun Jilin China
| | - Xiangyu Zhang
- Xi'an Institute of Cultural Relics Protection and Archaeology Xian Shanxi China
| | - Bo Gao
- Xi'an Institute of Cultural Relics Protection and Archaeology Xian Shanxi China
| | - Chenggang Duan
- Xi'an Institute of Cultural Relics Protection and Archaeology Xian Shanxi China
| | - Hong Zhu
- School of Archaeology Jilin University Changchun Jilin China
| | - Aida R. Barbera
- Université Laval Québec Quebec Canada
- Department of Anthropology Queens College of the City University of New York Queens New York USA
| | | | - Kate Pechenkina
- Department of Anthropology Queens College of the City University of New York Queens New York USA
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5
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An ancient cranium from Dmanisi: Evidence for interpersonal violence, disease, and possible predation by carnivores on Early Pleistocene Homo. J Hum Evol 2022; 166:103180. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jhevol.2022.103180] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2021] [Revised: 02/22/2022] [Accepted: 02/22/2022] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
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6
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Whittier CA, Nutter FB, Johnson PLF, Cross P, Lloyd-Smith JO, Slenning BD, Stoskopf MK. Population structure, intergroup interaction, and human contact govern infectious disease impacts in mountain gorilla populations. Am J Primatol 2021; 84:e23350. [PMID: 34878678 DOI: 10.1002/ajp.23350] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/03/2021] [Revised: 10/13/2021] [Accepted: 11/01/2021] [Indexed: 01/16/2023]
Abstract
Infectious zoonotic diseases are a threat to wildlife conservation and global health. They are especially a concern for wild apes, which are vulnerable to many human infectious diseases. As ecotourism, deforestation, and great ape field research increase, the threat of human-sourced infections to wild populations becomes more substantial and could result in devastating population declines. The endangered mountain gorillas (Gorilla beringei beringei) of the Virunga Massif in east-central Africa suffer periodic disease outbreaks and are exposed to infections from human-sourced pathogens. It is important to understand the possible risks of disease introduction and spread in this population and how human contact may facilitate disease transmission. Here we present and evaluate an individual-based, stochastic, discrete-time disease transmission model to predict epidemic outcomes and better understand health risks to the Virunga mountain gorilla population. To model disease transmission we have derived estimates for gorilla contact, interaction, and migration rates. The model shows that the social structure of gorilla populations plays a profound role in governing disease impacts with subdivided populations experiencing less than 25% of the outbreak levels of a single homogeneous population. It predicts that gorilla group dispersal and limited group interactions are strong factors in preventing widespread population-level outbreaks of infectious disease after such diseases have been introduced into the population. However, even a moderate amount of human contact increases disease spread and can lead to population-level outbreaks.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christopher A Whittier
- Department of Infectious Disease and Global Health & Tufts Center for Conservation Medicine, Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine at Tufts University, North Grafton, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Felicia B Nutter
- Department of Infectious Disease and Global Health & Tufts Center for Conservation Medicine, Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine at Tufts University, North Grafton, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Philip L F Johnson
- Department of Biology, University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland, USA
| | - Paul Cross
- Department of Interior, US Geological Survey, Northern Rocky Mountain Science Center, Bozeman, Montana, USA
| | - James O Lloyd-Smith
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, USA
| | - Barrett D Slenning
- Department of Population Health and Pathobiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, North Carolina, USA
| | - Michael K Stoskopf
- Environmental Medicine Consortium, North Carolina State University College of Veterinary Medicine, Raleigh, North Carolina, USA.,Department of Clinical Sciences, North Carolina State University College of Veterinary Medicine, Raleigh, North Carolina, USA
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7
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Moresco A, Feltrer-Rambaud Y, Wolfman D, Agnew DW. Reproductive one health in primates. Am J Primatol 2021; 84:e23325. [PMID: 34516669 DOI: 10.1002/ajp.23325] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2021] [Revised: 07/28/2021] [Accepted: 08/21/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
One Health is a collaborative trans-disciplinary approach to health; integrating human, animal, and environmental health. The focus is often on infection disease transmission and disease risk mitigation. However, One Health also includes the multidisciplinary and comparative approach to disease investigation and health of humans, animals, and the environment. One key aspect of environmental/ecosystem health is conservation, the maintenance of healthy, actively reproducing wildlife populations. Reproduction and reproductive health are an integral part of the One Health approach: the comparative aspects of reproduction can inform conservation policies or breeding strategies (in situ and ex situ) in addition to physiology and disease. Differences in reproductive strategies affect the impact poaching and habitat disruption might have on a given population, as well as ex situ breeding programs and the management of zoo and sanctuary populations. Much is known about chimpanzees, macaques, and marmosets as these are common animal models, but there is much that remains unknown regarding reproduction in many other primates. Examining the similarities and differences between and within taxonomic groups allows reasonable extrapolation for decision-making when there are knowledge gaps. For example: (1) knowing that a species has very low reproductive rates adds urgency to conservation policy for that region or species; (2) identifying species with short or absent lactation anestrus allows ex situ institutions to better plan contraception options for specific individuals or prepare for the immediate next pregnancy; (3) recognizing that progestin contraceptives are effective contraceptives, but may be associated with endometrial hyperplasia in some species (in Lemuridae but not great apes) better guides empirical contraceptive choice; (4) recognizing the variable endometriosis prevalence across taxa improves preventive medicine programs. A summary of anatomical variation, endocrinology, contraception, pathology, and diagnostics is provided to illustrate these features and aid in routine physical and postmortem examinations as well as primate management.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anneke Moresco
- International Primate Health & Welfare Group, Madrid, Spain.,Reproductive Health Surveillance Program, Morrison, Colorado, USA
| | - Yedra Feltrer-Rambaud
- International Primate Health & Welfare Group, Madrid, Spain.,EAZA Reproductive Management Group, Chester, UK
| | - Darcy Wolfman
- Department of Radiology and Radiological Sciences, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, National Capital Region, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Dalen W Agnew
- Reproductive Health Surveillance Program, Morrison, Colorado, USA.,Michigan State University, Lansing, Michigan, USA
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8
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Strain diversity of Treponema pallidum subsp. pertenue suggests rare interspecies transmission in African nonhuman primates. Sci Rep 2019; 9:14243. [PMID: 31578447 PMCID: PMC6775232 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-50779-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/11/2019] [Accepted: 09/19/2019] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
In our most recent study, we found that in Tanzania infection with Treponema pallidum (TP) subsp. pertenue (TPE) is present in four different monkey species. In order to gain information on the diversity and epidemiological spread of the infection in Tanzanian nonhuman primates (NHP), we identified two suitable candidate genes for multi-locus sequence typing (MLST). We demonstrate the functionality of the MLST system in invasively and non-invasively collected samples. While we were not able to demonstrate frequent interspecies transmission of TPE in Tanzanian monkeys, our results show a clustering of TPE strains according to geography and not host species, which is suggestive for rare transmission events between different NHP species. In addition to the geographic stability, we describe the relative temporal stability of the strains infecting NHPs and identified multi-strain infection. Differences between TPE strains of NHP and human origin are highlighted. Our results show that antibiotic resistance does not occur in Tanzanian TPE strains of NHP origin.
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9
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Baudouin A, Gatti S, Levréro F, Genton C, Cristescu RH, Billy V, Motsch P, Pierre JS, Le Gouar P, Ménard N. Disease avoidance, and breeding group age and size condition the dispersal patterns of western lowland gorilla females. Ecology 2019; 100:e02786. [PMID: 31188468 DOI: 10.1002/ecy.2786] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/27/2018] [Revised: 04/23/2019] [Accepted: 05/20/2019] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Social dispersal is an important feature of population dynamics. When female mammals occur in polygynous groups, their dispersal decisions are conditioned by various female-, male-, and group-related factors. Among them, the influence of disease often remains difficult to assess. To address this challenge, we used long-term monitoring data from two gorilla populations (Gorilla gorilla gorilla) affected by infectious skin disease lesions. After controlling for other potentially influential factors, we investigated to which extent disease avoidance drives the dispersal decisions of gorilla females. We showed that the infection of a silverback of a breeding group by the skin disease increased the probability of adult females to emigrate. Moreover, adult females avoided breeding groups with a high prevalence of skin disease by emigrating from them and immigrating into healthier ones. Age of the breeding group was also an important factor. Adult females left older groups, near the end of a male tenure, to join younger ones led by younger fully grown silverbacks that could be of high reproductive and protective value. Our study highlights that, although females select for high-quality males, disease avoidance is a critical driver of their dispersion decision.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alice Baudouin
- UMR 6553, ECOBIO: Ecosystems, Biodiversity, Evolution, CNRS/University of Rennes 1, Biological Station of Paimpont, Paimpont, 35380, France
| | - Sylvain Gatti
- UMR 6553, ECOBIO: Ecosystems, Biodiversity, Evolution, CNRS/University of Rennes 1, Biological Station of Paimpont, Paimpont, 35380, France
| | - Florence Levréro
- Université de Saint-Etienne/Lyon, Equipe de Neuro-Ethologie Sensorielle, Neuro-PSI, CNRS UMR 9197, 23 rue des Dr Michelon, Saint-Etienne, 42023, France
| | - Céline Genton
- UMR 6553, ECOBIO: Ecosystems, Biodiversity, Evolution, CNRS/University of Rennes 1, Biological Station of Paimpont, Paimpont, 35380, France
| | - Romane H Cristescu
- GeneCology, Faculty of Science, Health, Education and Engineering, University of the Sunshine Coast, 90 Sippy Downs Drive, Sippy Downs, Queensland, 4556, Australia
| | - Vincent Billy
- Odzala-Kokoua National Park, African Parks Network, Mbomo, Republic of Congo
| | - Peggy Motsch
- Odzala-Kokoua National Park, African Parks Network, Mbomo, Republic of Congo
| | - Jean-Sébastien Pierre
- UMR 6553, ECOBIO: Ecosystems, Biodiversity, Evolution, CNRS/University of Rennes 1, Avenue du Général Leclerc, Rennes, 35042, France
| | - Pascaline Le Gouar
- UMR 6553, ECOBIO: Ecosystems, Biodiversity, Evolution, CNRS/University of Rennes 1, Biological Station of Paimpont, Paimpont, 35380, France
| | - Nelly Ménard
- UMR 6553, ECOBIO: Ecosystems, Biodiversity, Evolution, CNRS/University of Rennes 1, Biological Station of Paimpont, Paimpont, 35380, France
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10
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Facial and genital lesions in baboons (Papio anubis) of Kibale National Park, Uganda. Primates 2019; 60:109-112. [PMID: 30666470 DOI: 10.1007/s10329-019-00715-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/12/2018] [Accepted: 01/05/2019] [Indexed: 10/27/2022]
Abstract
We describe and document with digital images two adult male baboons (Papio anubis) from the Kibale National Park, Uganda who were infected with some kind of disease having clinical signs suggestive of Treponema pallidum. One of these males was missing his premaxilla, part of the maxilla, upper incisors, canines, and possibly the first premolars. The condition of his scrotum was not seen. The other adult male had prominent inflammation of his scrotum and, to a lesser extent, his penis. Otherwise, both males appeared normal and healthy and were apparently well integrated into the same social group. These observations suggest that an earlier report of an adult female baboon living in the same area who was missing her entire premaxilla and nose and most of her maxilla may have been suffering from a similar infection, rather than a congenital disorder, as previously speculated. If these lesions were due to T. pallidum infections, then this disease has a greater geographical distribution among non-human primates than previously known.
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11
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McRae R, Aronsen GP. Inventory and Assessment of theGorilla gorilla(Savage, 1847) Skeletal Collection Housed at the Yale Peabody Museum of Natural History. BULLETIN OF THE PEABODY MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY 2018. [DOI: 10.3374/014.059.0205] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Ryan McRae
- Department of Anthropology, Yale University, New Haven CT 06520-8277 USA
| | - Gary P. Aronsen
- Biological Anthropology Laboratories, Department of Anthropology, Yale University, New Haven CT 06520-8277 USA
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12
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Krynak KL, Burke DJ, Martin RA, Dennis PM. Gut microbiome composition is associated with cardiac disease in zoo-housed western lowland gorillas (Gorilla gorilla gorilla). FEMS Microbiol Lett 2018; 364:3966717. [PMID: 28859316 DOI: 10.1093/femsle/fnx149] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/24/2017] [Accepted: 07/11/2017] [Indexed: 01/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Cardiac disease is a leading cause of mortality in zoo-housed western lowland gorillas (Gorilla gorilla gorilla). The gut microbiome is associated with cardiac disease in humans and similarly the gut microbiome may be associated with cardiac diseases in close relatives of humans, such as gorillas. We assessed the relationship between cardiac disease and gut bacterial composition in eight zoo-housed male western lowland gorillas (N = 4 with and N = 4 without cardiac disease) utilizing 16S rRNA gene analysis on the Illumina MiSeq sequencing platform. We found bacterial composition differences between gorillas with and without cardiac disease. Bacterial operational taxonomic units from phyla Bacteroidetes, Spirochaetes, Proteobacteria and Firmicutes were significant indicators of cardiac disease. Our results suggest that further investigations between diet and cardiac disease could improve the management and health of zoo-housed populations of this endangered species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katherine L Krynak
- Department of Biology, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH 44106-7078, USA.,Conservation and Science Cleveland Metroparks, Cleveland, OH 44109, USA.,Department of Biological and Allied Health Sciences, Ohio Northern University, Ada, OH 45810, USA
| | | | - Ryan A Martin
- Department of Biology, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH 44106-7078, USA
| | - Patricia M Dennis
- Conservation and Science Cleveland Metroparks, Cleveland, OH 44109, USA.,Department of Veterinary Preventive Medicine, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, USA
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Šmajs D, Strouhal M, Knauf S. Genetics of human and animal uncultivable treponemal pathogens. INFECTION GENETICS AND EVOLUTION 2018; 61:92-107. [PMID: 29578082 DOI: 10.1016/j.meegid.2018.03.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/24/2017] [Revised: 03/16/2018] [Accepted: 03/20/2018] [Indexed: 10/17/2022]
Abstract
Treponema pallidum is an uncultivable bacterium and the causative agent of syphilis (subsp. pallidum [TPA]), human yaws (subsp. pertenue [TPE]), and bejel (subsp. endemicum). Several species of nonhuman primates in Africa are infected by treponemes genetically undistinguishable from known human TPE strains. Besides Treponema pallidum, the equally uncultivable Treponema carateum causes pinta in humans. In lagomorphs, Treponema paraluisleporidarum ecovar Cuniculus and ecovar Lepus are the causative agents of rabbit and hare syphilis, respectively. All uncultivable pathogenic treponemes harbor a relatively small chromosome (1.1334-1.1405 Mbp) and show gene synteny with minimal genetic differences (>98% identity at the DNA level) between subspecies and species. While uncultivable pathogenic treponemes contain a highly conserved core genome, there are a number of highly variable and/or recombinant chromosomal loci. This is also reflected in the occurrence of intrastrain heterogeneity (genetic diversity within an infecting bacterial population). Molecular differences at several different chromosomal loci identified among TPA strains or isolates have been used for molecular typing and the epidemiological characterization of syphilis isolates. This review summarizes genome structure of uncultivable pathogenic treponemes including genetically variable regions.
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Affiliation(s)
- David Šmajs
- Department of Biology, Masaryk University, Kamenice 5, Building A6, 625 00 Brno, Czech Republic.
| | - Michal Strouhal
- Department of Biology, Masaryk University, Kamenice 5, Building A6, 625 00 Brno, Czech Republic.
| | - Sascha Knauf
- Work Group Neglected Tropical Diseases, Pathology Unit, German Primate Center, Leibniz Institute for Primate Research, Kellnerweg 4, 37077 Göttingen, Germany,.
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14
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Lowenstine LJ, McManamon R, Terio KA. Apes. PATHOLOGY OF WILDLIFE AND ZOO ANIMALS 2018. [PMCID: PMC7173580 DOI: 10.1016/b978-0-12-805306-5.00015-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
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15
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Complete genome sequences of two strains of Treponema pallidum subsp. pertenue from Ghana, Africa: Identical genome sequences in samples isolated more than 7 years apart. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2017; 11:e0005894. [PMID: 28886021 PMCID: PMC5607219 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0005894] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/11/2017] [Revised: 09/20/2017] [Accepted: 08/22/2017] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Treponema pallidum subsp. pertenue (TPE) is the causative agent of yaws, a multi-stage disease, endemic in tropical regions of Africa, Asia, Oceania, and South America. To date, four TPE strains have been completely sequenced including three TPE strains of human origin (Samoa D, CDC-2, and Gauthier) and one TPE strain (Fribourg-Blanc) isolated from a baboon. All TPE strains are highly similar to T. pallidum subsp. pallidum (TPA) strains. The mutation rate in syphilis and related treponemes has not been experimentally determined yet. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS Complete genomes of two TPE strains, CDC 2575 and Ghana-051, that infected patients in Ghana and were isolated in 1980 and 1988, respectively, were sequenced and analyzed. Both strains had identical consensus genome nucleotide sequences raising the question whether TPE CDC 2575 and Ghana-051 represent two different strains. Several lines of evidence support the fact that both strains represent independent samples including regions showing intrastrain heterogeneity (13 and 5 intrastrain heterogeneous sites in TPE Ghana-051 and TPE CDC 2575, respectively). Four of these heterogeneous sites were found in both genomes but the frequency of alternative alleles differed. The identical consensus genome sequences were used to estimate the upper limit of the yaws treponeme evolution rate, which was 4.1 x 10-10 nucleotide changes per site per generation. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE The estimated upper limit for the mutation rate of TPE was slightly lower than the mutation rate of E. coli, which was determined during a long-term experiment. Given the known diversity between TPA and TPE genomes and the assumption that both TPA and TPE have a similar mutation rate, the most recent common ancestor of syphilis and yaws treponemes appears to be more than ten thousand years old and likely even older.
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Gogarten JF, Düx A, Schuenemann VJ, Nowak K, Boesch C, Wittig RM, Krause J, Calvignac-Spencer S, Leendertz FH. Tools for opening new chapters in the book of Treponema pallidum evolutionary history. Clin Microbiol Infect 2016; 22:916-921. [PMID: 27498082 DOI: 10.1016/j.cmi.2016.07.027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/09/2016] [Revised: 07/04/2016] [Accepted: 07/25/2016] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
Abstract
Treponema pallidum infections causing yaws disease and venereal syphilis are globally widespread in human populations, infecting hundreds of thousands and millions annually respectively; endemic syphilis is much less common, and pinta has not been observed in decades. We discuss controversy surrounding the origin, evolution and history of these pathogens in light of available molecular and anthropological evidence. These bacteria (or close relatives) seem to affect many wild African nonhuman primate (NHP) species, though to date only a single NHP Treponema pallidum genome has been published, hindering detection of spillover events and our understanding of potential wildlife reservoirs. Similarly, only ten genomes of Treponema pallidum infecting humans have been published, impeding a full understanding of their diversity and evolutionary history. Research efforts have been hampered by the difficulty of culturing and propagating Treponema pallidum. Here we highlight avenues of research recently opened by the coupling of hybridization capture and next-generation sequencing. We present data generated with such an approach suggesting that asymptomatic bones from NHP occasionally contain enough treponemal DNA to recover large fractions of their genomes. We expect that these methods, which naturally can be applied to modern biopsy samples and ancient human bones, will soon considerably improve our understanding of these enigmatic pathogens and lay rest to old yet unresolved controversies.
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Affiliation(s)
- J F Gogarten
- Epidemiology of Highly Pathogenic Microorganisms, Germany; Primatology Department, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Leipzig, Germany; Department of Biology, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - A Düx
- Epidemiology of Highly Pathogenic Microorganisms, Germany; Viral Evolution, Robert Koch Institute, Berlin, Germany
| | - V J Schuenemann
- Institute for Archeological Sciences, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | - K Nowak
- Epidemiology of Highly Pathogenic Microorganisms, Germany
| | - C Boesch
- Primatology Department, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Leipzig, Germany
| | - R M Wittig
- Primatology Department, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Leipzig, Germany; Taï Chimpanzee Project, CSRS, Abidjan, Cote d'Ivoire
| | - J Krause
- Institute for Archeological Sciences, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany; Max Planck Institute for the Science of Human History, Jena, Germany
| | - S Calvignac-Spencer
- Epidemiology of Highly Pathogenic Microorganisms, Germany; Viral Evolution, Robert Koch Institute, Berlin, Germany.
| | - F H Leendertz
- Epidemiology of Highly Pathogenic Microorganisms, Germany.
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Knauf S, Dahlmann F, Batamuzi EK, Frischmann S, Liu H. Validation of serological tests for the detection of antibodies against Treponema pallidum in nonhuman primates. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2015; 9:e0003637. [PMID: 25803295 PMCID: PMC4372418 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0003637] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/21/2014] [Accepted: 02/22/2015] [Indexed: 01/06/2023] Open
Abstract
There is evidence to suggest that the yaws bacterium (Treponema pallidum ssp. pertenue) may exist in non-human primate populations residing in regions where yaws is endemic in humans. Especially in light of the fact that the World Health Organizaiton (WHO) recently launched its second yaws eradication campaign, there is a considerable need for reliable tools to identify treponemal infection in our closest relatives, African monkeys and great apes. It was hypothesized that commercially available serological tests detect simian anti-T. pallidum antibody in serum samples of baboons, with comparable sensitivity and specificity to their results on human sera. Test performances of five different treponemal tests (TTs) and two non-treponemal tests (NTTs) were evaluated using serum samples of 57 naturally T. pallidum-infected olive baboons (Papio anubis) from Lake Manyara National Park in Tanzania. The T. pallidum particle agglutination assay (TP-PA) was used as a gold standard for comparison. In addition, the overall infection status of the animals was used to further validate test performances. For most accurate results, only samples that originated from baboons of known infection status, as verified in a previous study by clinical inspection, PCR and immunohistochemistry, were included. All tests, TTs and NTTs, used in this study were able to reliably detect antibodies against T. pallidum in serum samples of infected baboons. The sensitivity of TTs ranged from 97.7-100%, while specificity was between 88.0-100.0%. The two NTTs detected anti-lipoidal antibodies in serum samples of infected baboons with a sensitivity of 83.3% whereas specificity was 100%. For screening purposes, the TT Espline TP provided the highest sensitivity and specificity and at the same time provided the most suitable format for use in the field. The enzyme immune assay Mastblot TP (IgG), however, could be considered as a confirmatory test.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sascha Knauf
- German Primate Center, Pathology Unit, Work Group Neglected Tropical Diseases, Göttingen, Germany
- * E-mail:
| | - Franziska Dahlmann
- German Primate Center, Pathology Unit, Work Group Neglected Tropical Diseases, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Emmanuel K. Batamuzi
- Sokoine University of Agriculture, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Department of Surgery and Theriogenology, Morogoro, Tanzania
| | | | - Hsi Liu
- National Center for HIV/AIDS, Viral Hepatitis, STD, and TB Prevention, Centers for Diseases Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia, United States of America
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Knauf S, Liu H, Harper KN. Treponemal infection in nonhuman primates as possible reservoir for human yaws. Emerg Infect Dis 2014; 19:2058-60. [PMID: 24274094 PMCID: PMC3840862 DOI: 10.3201/eid1912.130863] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
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Krief S, Krief JM, Seguya A, Couly G, Levi G. Facial dysplasia in wild chimpanzees. J Med Primatol 2014; 43:280-3. [PMID: 24849542 DOI: 10.1111/jmp.12129] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 04/23/2014] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
At least 10% of the Sebitoli chimpanzee community of the Kibale National Park (Uganda) present a characteristic facial phenotype with flattened nose, reduced nostrils, and concave mid-face. Affected individuals do not present skin lesions, and also young infants are affected. We suggest, therefore, a congenital origin of this defect.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sabrina Krief
- UMR 7206 CNRS/MNHN/P7, Ecoathropologie et ethnobiologie, CP 135, Museum national d'histoire naturelle, Paris, France; Projet pour la conservation des grands singes (PCGS), UWA Sebitoli Station, Kibale National Park, Fort Portal, Uganda
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20
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Abstract
The agents of human treponematoses include four closely related members of the genus Treponema: three subspecies of Treponema pallidum plus Treponema carateum. T. pallidum subsp. pallidum causes venereal syphilis, while T. pallidum subsp. pertenue, T. pallidum subsp. endemicum, and T. carateum are the agents of the endemic treponematoses yaws, bejel (or endemic syphilis), and pinta, respectively. All human treponematoses share remarkable similarities in pathogenesis and clinical manifestations, consistent with the high genetic and antigenic relatedness of their etiological agents. Distinctive features have been identified in terms of age of acquisition, most common mode of transmission, and capacity for invasion of the central nervous system and fetus, although the accuracy of these purported differences is debated among investigators and no biological basis for these differences has been identified to date. In 2012, the World Health Organization (WHO) officially set a goal for yaws eradication by 2020. This challenging but potentially feasible endeavor is favored by the adoption of oral azithromycin for mass treatment and the currently focused distribution of yaws and endemic treponematoses and has revived global interest in these fascinating diseases and their causative agents.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lorenzo Giacani
- Department of Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | - Sheila A. Lukehart
- Department of Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA
- Department of Global Health, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA
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21
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Zobaníková M, Strouhal M, Mikalová L, Čejková D, Ambrožová L, Pospíšilová P, Fulton LL, Chen L, Sodergren E, Weinstock GM, Šmajs D. Whole genome sequence of the Treponema Fribourg-Blanc: unspecified simian isolate is highly similar to the yaws subspecies. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2013; 7:e2172. [PMID: 23638193 PMCID: PMC3630124 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0002172] [Citation(s) in RCA: 51] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/03/2013] [Accepted: 03/07/2013] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Unclassified simian strain Treponema Fribourg-Blanc was isolated in 1966 from baboons (Papio cynocephalus) in West Africa. This strain was morphologically indistinguishable from T. pallidum ssp. pallidum or ssp. pertenue strains, and it was shown to cause human infections. Methodology/Principal Findings To precisely define genetic differences between Treponema Fribourg-Blanc (unclassified simian isolate, FB) and T. pallidum ssp. pertenue strains (TPE), a high quality sequence of the whole Fribourg-Blanc genome was determined with 454-pyrosequencing and Illumina sequencing platforms. Combined average coverage of both methods was greater than 500×. Restriction target sites (n = 1,773), identified in silico, of selected restriction enzymes within the Fribourg-Blanc genome were verified experimentally and no discrepancies were found. When compared to the other three sequenced TPE genomes (Samoa D, CDC-2, Gauthier), no major genome rearrangements were found. The Fribourg-Blanc genome clustered with other TPE strains (especially with the TPE CDC-2 strain), while T. pallidum ssp. pallidum strains clustered separately as well as the genome of T. paraluiscuniculi strain Cuniculi A. Within coding regions, 6 deletions, 5 insertions and 117 substitutions differentiated Fribourg-Blanc from other TPE genomes. Conclusions/Significance The Fribourg-Blanc genome showed similar genetic characteristics as other TPE strains. Therefore, we propose to rename the unclassified simian isolate to Treponema pallidum ssp. pertenue strain Fribourg-Blanc. Since the Fribourg-Blanc strain was shown to cause experimental infection in human hosts, non-human primates could serve as possible reservoirs of TPE strains. This could considerably complicate recent efforts to eradicate yaws. Genetic differences specific for Fribourg-Blanc could then contribute for identification of cases of animal-derived yaws infections. A bacterial strain isolated in 1966 from baboons (Papio cynocephalus) in West Africa was preliminarily characterized as unclassified simian strain Treponema Fribourg-Blanc (FB). This strain was morphologically identical to T. pallidum ssp. pallidum (TPA, agent of syphilis) or ssp. pertenue (TPE, agent of yaws). In this study, we completed a high quality whole genome sequence of simian isolate Treponema Fribourg-Blanc and compared it to known genome sequences of Treponema pallidum strains. No major differences in the gene order of the FB genome were found when compared to all known genomes of Treponema pallidum subspecies. Moreover, the FB genome clustered with other TPE strains, while T. pallidum ssp. pallidum strains clustered separately. In general, the FB genome showed similar genetic characteristics to other TPE strains. Therefore, we proposed that the simian isolate Fribourg-Blanc be classified as a bacterial strain belonging to Treponema pallidum ssp. pertenue. It appears that, except for humans, the reservoir of yaws-causing treponemes may also include free-living primates, especially in Africa.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marie Zobaníková
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Medicine, Masaryk University, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Michal Strouhal
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Medicine, Masaryk University, Brno, Czech Republic
- The Genome Institute, Department of Genetics, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri, United States of America
| | - Lenka Mikalová
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Medicine, Masaryk University, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Darina Čejková
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Medicine, Masaryk University, Brno, Czech Republic
- The Genome Institute, Department of Genetics, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri, United States of America
| | - Lenka Ambrožová
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Medicine, Masaryk University, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Petra Pospíšilová
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Medicine, Masaryk University, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Lucinda L. Fulton
- The Genome Institute, Department of Genetics, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri, United States of America
| | - Lei Chen
- The Genome Institute, Department of Genetics, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri, United States of America
| | - Erica Sodergren
- The Genome Institute, Department of Genetics, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri, United States of America
| | - George M. Weinstock
- The Genome Institute, Department of Genetics, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri, United States of America
| | - David Šmajs
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Medicine, Masaryk University, Brno, Czech Republic
- * E-mail:
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Abstract
Yaws is an infectious disease caused by Treponema pallidum pertenue-a bacterium that closely resembles the causative agent of syphilis-and is spread by skin-to-skin contact in humid tropical regions. Yaws causes disfiguring, and sometimes painful lesions of the skin and bones. As with syphilis, clinical manifestations can be divided into three stages; however, unlike syphilis, mother-to-child transmission does not occur. A major campaign to eradicate yaws in the 1950s and 1960s, by mass treatment of affected communities with longacting, injectable penicillin, reduced the number of cases by 95% worldwide, but yaws has reappeared in recent years in Africa, Asia, and the western Pacific. In 2012, one oral dose of azithromycin was shown to be as effective as intramuscular penicillin in the treatment of the disease, and WHO launched a new initiative to eradicate yaws by 2020.
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Affiliation(s)
- Oriol Mitjà
- Barcelona Centre for International Health Research, Hospital Clinic, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
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Morton FB, Todd AF, Lee P, Masi S. Observational Monitoring of Clinical Signs during the Last Stage of Habituation in a Wild Western Gorilla Group at Bai Hokou, Central African Republic. Folia Primatol (Basel) 2013; 84:118-33. [DOI: 10.1159/000350916] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/10/2012] [Accepted: 03/21/2013] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
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Harper KN, Fyumagwa RD, Hoare R, Wambura PN, Coppenhaver DH, Sapolsky RM, Alberts SC, Tung J, Rogers J, Kilewo M, Batamuzi EK, Leendertz FH, Armelagos GJ, Knauf S. Treponema pallidum infection in the wild baboons of East Africa: distribution and genetic characterization of the strains responsible. PLoS One 2012; 7:e50882. [PMID: 23284649 PMCID: PMC3527465 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0050882] [Citation(s) in RCA: 50] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/11/2012] [Accepted: 10/25/2012] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
It has been known for decades that wild baboons are naturally infected with Treponema pallidum, the bacterium that causes the diseases syphilis (subsp. pallidum), yaws (subsp. pertenue), and bejel (subsp. endemicum) in humans. Recently, a form of T. pallidum infection associated with severe genital lesions has been described in wild baboons at Lake Manyara National Park in Tanzania. In this study, we investigated ten additional sites in Tanzania and Kenya using a combination of macroscopic observation and serology, in order to determine whether the infection was present in each area. In addition, we obtained genetic sequence data from six polymorphic regions using T. pallidum strains collected from baboons at two different Tanzanian sites. We report that lesions consistent with T. pallidum infection were present at four of the five Tanzanian sites examined, and serology was used to confirm treponemal infection at three of these. By contrast, no signs of treponemal infection were observed at the six Kenyan sites, and serology indicated T. pallidum was present at only one of them. A survey of sexually mature baboons at Lake Manyara National Park in 2006 carried out as part of this study indicated that roughly ten percent displayed T. pallidum-associated lesions severe enough to cause major structural damage to the genitalia. Finally, we found that T. pallidum strains from Lake Manyara National Park and Serengeti National Park were genetically distinct, and a phylogeny suggested that baboon strains may have diverged prior to the clade containing human strains. We conclude that T. pallidum infection associated with genital lesions appears to be common in the wild baboons of the regions studied in Tanzania. Further study is needed to elucidate the infection's transmission mode, its associated morbidity and mortality, and the relationship between baboon and human strains.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kristin N Harper
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Columbia University Medical Center, New York, New York, United States of America.
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Krief S, Levrero F, Krief JM, Thanapongpichat S, Imwong M, Snounou G, Kasenene JM, Cibot M, Gantier JC. Investigations on anopheline mosquitoes close to the nest sites of chimpanzees subject to malaria infection in Ugandan highlands. Malar J 2012; 11:116. [PMID: 22510395 PMCID: PMC3515334 DOI: 10.1186/1475-2875-11-116] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/13/2012] [Accepted: 04/06/2012] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Malaria parasites (Plasmodium sp.), including new species, have recently been discovered as low grade mixed infections in three wild chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes schweinfurthii) sampled randomly in Kibale National Park, Uganda. This suggested a high prevalence of malaria infection in this community. The clinical course of malaria in chimpanzees and the species of the vectors that transmit their parasites are not known. The fact that these apes display a specific behaviour in which they consume plant parts of low nutritional value but that contain compounds with anti-malarial properties suggests that the apes health might be affected by the parasite. The avoidance of the night-biting anopheline mosquitoes is another potential behavioural adaptation that would lead to a decrease in the number of infectious bites and consequently malaria. METHODS Mosquitoes were collected over two years using suction-light traps and yeast-generated CO(2) traps at the nesting and the feeding sites of two chimpanzee communities in Kibale National Park. The species of the female Anopheles caught were then determined and the presence of Plasmodium was sought in these insects by PCR amplification. RESULTS The mosquito catches yielded a total of 309 female Anopheles specimens, the only known vectors of malaria parasites of mammalians. These specimens belonged to 10 species, of which Anopheles implexus, Anopheles vinckei and Anopheles demeilloni dominated. Sensitive DNA amplification techniques failed to detect any Plasmodium-positive Anopheles specimens. Humidity and trap height influenced the Anopheles capture success, and there was a negative correlation between nest numbers and mosquito abundance. The anopheline mosquitoes were also less diverse and numerous in sites where chimpanzees were nesting as compared to those where they were feeding. CONCLUSIONS These observations suggest that the sites where chimpanzees build their nests every night might be selected, at least in part, in order to minimize contact with anopheline mosquitoes, which might lead to a reduced risk in acquiring malaria infections.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sabrina Krief
- UMR 7206- Eco-anthropologie et ethnobiologie, Musum National dHistoire Naturelle, Paris, France
- Projet pour la Conservation des Grands Singes, Paris, France
| | - Florence Levrero
- Universit de Saint-Etienne, Equipe de Neuro-Ethologie Sensorielle/CNPS, CNRS UMR 8195. Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Centre de Neurosciences Paris-Sud, UMR 8195, Saint Etienne, France
| | | | | | - Mallika Imwong
- Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Georges Snounou
- Institut National de la Sant et de la Recherche Mdicale, Unit Mixte de Recherche, S 945 Paris, France
- Universit Pierre & Marie Curie, Facult de Mdecine Piti-Salptrire, Paris, France
| | - John M Kasenene
- Makerere University Biological Field Station, Fort Portal, Uganda
| | - Marie Cibot
- UMR 7206- Eco-anthropologie et ethnobiologie, Musum National dHistoire Naturelle, Paris, France
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Yaws in the Western pacific region: a review of the literature. J Trop Med 2011; 2011:642832. [PMID: 22235208 PMCID: PMC3253475 DOI: 10.1155/2011/642832] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/08/2011] [Revised: 08/31/2011] [Accepted: 09/21/2011] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Until the middle of the 20th century, yaws was highly endemic and considered a serious public health problem in the Western Pacific Region (WPR), leading to intensive control efforts in the 1950s–1960s. Since then, little attention has been paid to its reemergence. Its current burden is unknown.
This paper presents the results of an extensive literature review, focusing on yaws in the South Pacific.
Available records suggest that the region remains largely free of yaws except for Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands, and Vanuatu. Many clinical cases reported recently were described as “attenuated”; advanced stages are rare. A single intramuscular injection of benzathine penicillin is still effective in curing yaws.
In the Pacific, yaws may be amenable to elimination if adequate resources are provided and political commitment revived. A mapping of yaws prevalence in PNG, Solomon, and Vanuatu is needed before comprehensive country-tailored strategies towards yaws elimination can be developed.
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Mikalová L, Strouhal M, Čejková D, Zobaníková M, Pospíšilová P, Norris SJ, Sodergren E, Weinstock GM, Šmajs D. Genome analysis of Treponema pallidum subsp. pallidum and subsp. pertenue strains: most of the genetic differences are localized in six regions. PLoS One 2010; 5:e15713. [PMID: 21209953 PMCID: PMC3012094 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0015713] [Citation(s) in RCA: 45] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/05/2010] [Accepted: 11/28/2010] [Indexed: 12/04/2022] Open
Abstract
The genomes of eight treponemes including T. p. pallidum strains (Nichols, SS14, DAL-1 and Mexico A), T. p. pertenue strains (Samoa D, CDC-2 and Gauthier), and the Fribourg-Blanc isolate, were amplified in 133 overlapping amplicons, and the restriction patterns of these fragments were compared. The approximate sizes of the genomes investigated based on this whole genome fingerprinting (WGF) analysis ranged from 1139.3-1140.4 kb, with the estimated genome sequence identity of 99.57-99.98% in the homologous genome regions. Restriction target site analysis, detecting the presence of 1773 individual restriction sites found in the reference Nichols genome, revealed a high genome structure similarity of all strains. The unclassified simian Fribourg-Blanc isolate was more closely related to T. p. pertenue than to T. p. pallidum strains. Most of the genetic differences between T. p. pallidum and T. p. pertenue strains were accumulated in six genomic regions. These genome differences likely contribute to the observed differences in pathogenicity between T. p. pallidum and T. p. pertenue strains. These regions of sequence divergence could be used for the molecular detection and discrimination of syphilis and yaws strains.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lenka Mikalová
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Medicine, Masaryk University, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Michal Strouhal
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Medicine, Masaryk University, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Darina Čejková
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Medicine, Masaryk University, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Marie Zobaníková
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Medicine, Masaryk University, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Petra Pospíšilová
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Medicine, Masaryk University, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Steven J. Norris
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of Texas-Houston Medical School, Houston, Texas, United States of America
| | - Erica Sodergren
- Department of Genetics, School of Medicine, The Genome Center, Washington University, St. Louis, Missouri, United States of America
| | - George M. Weinstock
- Department of Genetics, School of Medicine, The Genome Center, Washington University, St. Louis, Missouri, United States of America
| | - David Šmajs
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Medicine, Masaryk University, Brno, Czech Republic
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Harper KN, Ocampo PS, Steiner BM, George RW, Silverman MS, Bolotin S, Pillay A, Saunders NJ, Armelagos GJ. On the origin of the treponematoses: a phylogenetic approach. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2008; 2:e148. [PMID: 18235852 PMCID: PMC2217670 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0000148] [Citation(s) in RCA: 90] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2007] [Accepted: 11/15/2007] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Since the first recorded epidemic of syphilis in 1495, controversy has surrounded the origins of the bacterium Treponema pallidum subsp. pallidum and its relationship to the pathogens responsible for the other treponemal diseases: yaws, endemic syphilis, and pinta. Some researchers have argued that the syphilis-causing bacterium, or its progenitor, was brought from the New World to Europe by Christopher Columbus and his men, while others maintain that the treponematoses, including syphilis, have a much longer history on the European continent. Methodology/Principal Findings We applied phylogenetics to this problem, using data from 21 genetic regions examined in 26 geographically disparate strains of pathogenic Treponema. Of all the strains examined, the venereal syphilis-causing strains originated most recently and were more closely related to yaws-causing strains from South America than to other non-venereal strains. Old World yaws-causing strains occupied a basal position on the tree, indicating that they arose first in human history, and a simian strain of T. pallidum was found to be indistinguishable from them. Conclusions/Significance Our results lend support to the Columbian theory of syphilis's origin while suggesting that the non-sexually transmitted subspecies arose earlier in the Old World. This study represents the first attempt to address the problem of the origin of syphilis using molecular genetics, as well as the first source of information regarding the genetic make-up of non-venereal strains from the Western hemisphere. For 500 years, controversy has raged around the origin of T. pallidum subsp. pallidum, the bacterium responsible for syphilis. Did Christopher Columbus and his men introduce this pathogen into Renaissance Europe, after contracting it during their voyage to the New World? Or does syphilis have a much older history in the Old World? This paper represents the first attempt to use a phylogenetic approach to solve this question. In addition, it clarifies the evolutionary relationships between the pathogen that causes syphilis and the other T. pallidum subspecies, which cause the neglected tropical diseases yaws and endemic syphilis. Using a collection of pathogenic Treponema strains that is unprecedented in size, we show that yaws appears to be an ancient infection in humans while venereal syphilis arose relatively recently in human history. In addition, the closest relatives of syphilis-causing strains identified in this study were found in South America, providing support for the Columbian theory of syphilis's origin.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kristin N. Harper
- Department of Population Biology, Ecology, and Evolution, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia, United States of America
- * E-mail:
| | - Paolo S. Ocampo
- School of Medicine, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia, United States of America
| | - Bret M. Steiner
- Laboratory Reference and Research Branch, Division of Sexually Transmitted Diseases Prevention, NCHHSTP, U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia, United States of America
| | - Robert W. George
- Laboratory Reference and Research Branch, Division of Sexually Transmitted Diseases Prevention, NCHHSTP, U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia, United States of America
| | - Michael S. Silverman
- Department of Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases, University of Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Lakeridge Health Centre, Ontario, Canada
| | - Shelly Bolotin
- Department of Microbiology, Mount Sinai Hospital, Toronto, Canada
| | - Allan Pillay
- Laboratory Reference and Research Branch, Division of Sexually Transmitted Diseases Prevention, NCHHSTP, U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia, United States of America
| | - Nigel J. Saunders
- Sir William Dunn School of Pathology, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - George J. Armelagos
- Department of Anthropology, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia, United States of America
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