Outbreak of pathogenic Escherichia coli in an outdoor‐housed non‐human primate colony

• Published in: Journal of medical primatology 2014-04, Vol.43 (2), p.122-124
• Main Authors: Kolappaswamy, K., Nazareno, J., Porter, W.P., Klein, H.J.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Animals; Animals, Zoo; Colony Count, Microbial - veterinary; Cynomolgus; Diarrhea - epidemiology; Diarrhea - microbiology; Diarrhea - therapy; Diarrhea - veterinary; Disease Outbreaks - veterinary; enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli; Enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli - isolation & purification; enteroinvasive E. coli; Escherichia coli; Escherichia coli - isolation & purification; Escherichia coli Infections - epidemiology; Escherichia coli Infections - microbiology; Escherichia coli Infections - therapy; Escherichia coli Infections - veterinary; Macaca fascicularis; Macaca mulatta; macaques; Monkey Diseases - epidemiology; Monkey Diseases - microbiology; Monkey Diseases - therapy; non‐human primates; pathogenic E. coli; Polymerase Chain Reaction - veterinary; rhesus; United States - epidemiology
• ISSN: 0047-2565; 1600-0684
• DOI: 10.1111/jmp.12099

Background Pathogenic Escherichia coli has been identified as an etiologic agent in humans causing acute diarrhea or even death but has been rarely reported in non‐human primates (NHP). An outbreak of diarrhea occurred in an outdoor‐housed NHP colony over a period of 2 months with an attack rate of 29%. Methods Bacterial culture and PCR were performed on the fecal specimens to identify enteroinvasive E. coli (EIEC) and Enterohemorrhagic E. coli (EHEC) in the NHPs. Results By random sampling of 10% of fecal samples of diarrheal cases, four cases of EIEC in rhesus macaques and two cases of EHEC in cynomolgus macaques were confirmed. Conclusion This is the first time EIEC and EHEC have been reported in NHPs associated with diarrhea. The primary source of infection could not be determined.