Potential zoonotic pathogens hosted by endangered bonobos
Authors: Bernard Davoust
Anthony Levasseur
Oleg Mediannikov
Jean-Jacques Muyemb√©-Tamfum
Florence Fenollar
Hac√®ne Medkour
Claudine Andr√©
Rapha√´l Belais
Didier Raoult
Paulin Mungongo
Inestin Amona
Sergei Castaneda
Journal: Scientific Reports (2021)
Discipline: Multidisciplinary
Keywords: Bonobos; Infectious agents; Zoonotic viruses; Bacteria; Parasites
Affiliations: Aix Marseille Univ, IRD, AP-HM, MEPHI, IHU-M√©diterran√©e Infection, Marseille, France., IHU-M√©diterran√©e Infection, Marseille, France., Aix Marseille Univ, IRD, AP-HM, SSA, VITROME, IHU-M√©diterran√©e Infection, Marseille, France., Les Amis des Bonobos du Congo, Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo., National Institute of Biomedical Research (INRB), Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo., Aix Marseille Univ, IRD, AP-HM, MEPHI, IHU-M√©diterran√©e Infection, Marseille, France. ., IHU-M√©diterran√©e Infection, Marseille, France. .

Abstract:  Few publications, often limited to one specific pathogen, have studied bonobos (Pan paniscus), our closest living relatives, as possible reservoirs of certain human infectious agents. Here, 91 stool samples from semicaptive bonobos and bonobos reintroduced in the wild, in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, were screened for different infectious agents: viruses, bacteria and parasites. We showed the presence of potentially zoonotic viral, bacterial or parasitic agents in stool samples, sometimes coinfecting the same individuals. A high prevalence of Human mastadenoviruses (HAdV-C, HAdV-B, HAdV-E) was observed. Encephalomyocarditis viruses were identified in semicaptive bonobos, although identified genotypes were different from those identified in the previous fatal myocarditis epidemic at the same site in 2009. Non-pallidum Treponema spp. including symbiotic T. succinifaciens, T. berlinense and several potential new species with unknown pathogenicity were identified. We detected DNA of non-tuberculosis Mycobacterium spp., Acinetobacter spp., Salmonella spp. as well as pathogenic Leptospira interrogans. Zoonotic parasites such as Taenia solium and Strongyloides stercoralis were predominantly present in wild bonobos, while Giardia lamblia was found only in bonobos in contact with humans, suggesting a possible exchange. One third of bonobos carried Oesophagostomum spp., particularly zoonotic O. stephanostomum and O. bifurcum-like species, as well as other uncharacterized Nematoda. Trypanosoma theileri has been identified in semicaptive bonobos. Pathogens typically known to be transmitted sexually were not identified. We present here the results of a reasonably-sized screening study detecting DNA/RNA sequence evidence of potentially pathogenic viruses and microorganisms in bonobo based on a noninvasive sampling method (feces) and focused PCR diagnostics. 

Retracted: No

PubPeer comments:
 This article, published on March 18, 2021, has a June 2021 correction found here: https: www.nature.com articles s41598-021-92698-8  The original version of this Article contained an error in the Discussion section, where, u201c*It seems that the sanctuary has not followed the international recommendations for reintroduction 38.*u201d now reads: u201c*In our study, the Lola Ya sanctuary followed the international recommendations for reintroduction 38.*u201d The original Article has been corrected. ,