Title
Fecal viral diversity as an indicator of health in free-ranging Great Apes in the Sangha Region of the Republic of Congo
Author(s)
Cameron, K.;Seimon, T.A.;Olson, S.;Ondzie, A.;Reed, P.;Lee, K.J.;Rosen, G.;McAloose, D.;Lipkin, W.I.
Published
2013
Abstract
Concrete information on pathogen diversity within free-ranging great apes is lacking. The collection of fecal samples can allow a snapshot of viral diversity in individual animals and in populations at larger scales. To investigate viral diversity, we used consensus PCR and degenerate primer pairs to test 135 gorilla samples and 28 chimpanzee fecal samples collected near Odzala-Kokoua National Park in the Sangha Region of the Republic of Congo. These samples were tested for the following viruses and their families: flaviviridae, paramyxoviridae, filoviridae, poxviridae, bocaviridae, herpesviridae, adenoviridae and simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV). Genetic sequencing and phylogenetic analysis led to the identification of 19 viruses within two viral families; herpesviridae and adenoviridae. No zoonotic viruses were found. Overall, 26.4% of 163 samples tested positive for herpesvirus, and 49.1% tested positive for adenovirus. We found evidence of co-infections with multiple herpesviruses and/or multiple adenoviruses in gorillas and chimpanzees. We detected more than 1 type of viral sequence from 30.7% of the samples. Overall, 27.4% of 135 gorilla samples and 46.4% of 28 chimpanzee samples had more than 1 type of virus. Spatial mapping was performed to determine the geographic distribution of these pathogens. These results will form a basis for understanding the types of viruses circulating within freeranging chimpanzee and gorilla communities in this region. The findings may shed new insight on the ecological factors shaping great ape co-infection, as well as how these viruses are shared between species and across the survey zones.

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PUB13492