Lethal pneumonia in a captive juvenile chimpanzee (Pan troglodytes) due to human-transmitted human respiratory syncytial virus (HRSV) and infection with Streptococcus pneumoniae

Background  During an outbreak of respiratory disease in captive chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes), gorillas (Gorilla gorilla), Bornean orangutans (Pongo pygmaeus), and red‐capped mangabeys (Cercocebus torquatus) also staff members showed non‐specific upper respiratory signs. One infant female chimpanze...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of medical primatology 2009-08, Vol.38 (4), p.236-240
Main Authors: Szentiks, Claudia A., Köndgen, Sophie, Silinski, Sandra, Speck, Stephanie, Leendertz, Fabian H.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Animals
Ape Diseases - microbiology
Ape Diseases - virology
Cercocebus torquatus
Disease transmission
Fatal Outcome
Female
Gorilla gorilla gorilla
Human respiratory syncytial virus
Humans
Lung - pathology
non-human primates
Pan troglodytes
Pneumonia, Bacterial - veterinary
Pneumonia, Pneumococcal - complications
Pneumonia, Pneumococcal - pathology
Pneumonia, Pneumococcal - veterinary
Pongo pygmaeus
Primates
respiratory disease
Respiratory Syncytial Virus Infections - transmission
Respiratory Syncytial Virus Infections - veterinary
Streptococcus pneumoniae
Streptococcus pneumoniae - isolation & purification
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Summary:Background  During an outbreak of respiratory disease in captive chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes), gorillas (Gorilla gorilla), Bornean orangutans (Pongo pygmaeus), and red‐capped mangabeys (Cercocebus torquatus) also staff members showed non‐specific upper respiratory signs. One infant female chimpanzee with severe respiratory symptoms died despite immediate medical treatment and was submitted for necropsy. Methods  Routine post mortem, histological and bacteriological examinations were conducted. Additionally lung tissue samples form the chimpanzee and swab samples from the staff members and the other primates were examined by PCR. Results  A severe catarrhal to purulent bronchopneumonia and an interstitial pneumonia were found and human respiratory syncytial virus (HRSV) as well as Streptococcus pneumoniae was detected in lung samples by PCR. Swab samples from one animal keeper revealed the same HRSV sequence as of the chimpanzee. Conclusions  Therefore, it is suggested that the outbreak of respiratory disease within a zoological institution was due to transmission of HRSV between both human and primates.
ISSN:0047-2565
1600-0684
DOI:10.1111/j.1600-0684.2009.00346.x