Leprosy Confirmed in Wild Chimpanzees, Raising Conservation Concerns
Researchers have confirmed cases of the disease among two unconnected West African populations of chimpanzees, in Guinea-Bissau and the Ivory Coast.
Analysis published in the journal Nature shows the strains of leprosy are different, and both are uncommon among humans.
The origins of the infections are unclear, but the research team – led by the University of Exeter and the Robert Koch Institute – say the findings show leprosy is probably circulating in more wild animals than was previously suspected, either as a result of exposure to humans or other unknown environmental sources.
Humans are considered the main host for Mycobacterium leprae bacteria, which cause leprosy, but “spill-over” to other mammals such as nine-banded armadillos and red squirrels is known to occur.
“This is the first confirmation of leprosy in nonhuman animals in Africa,” said lead author Dr. Kimberley Hockings, of Centre for Ecology and Conservation on Exeter’s Penryn Campus in Cornwall.
“It’s amazing that it also happens to be in our closest living relative, the chimpanzee, especially considering how well studied chimpanzees are in the wild.
Striking Human-Like Symptoms in Chimpanzees
“We first noticed possible symptoms of leprosy in a population of chimpanzees in Guinea-Bissau.
“The symptoms appeared to be strikingly similar to those suffered by humans with advanced leprosy, including lesions and ‘claw’ hand.
“We contacted Professor Fabian Leendertz from the Robert Koch Institute to confirm these cases genetically.”
Following these findings, Professor Leendertz and Dr. Roman Wittig from the Max-Planck-Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology identified further cases of leprosy at their study site, Tai National Park, Ivory Coast.
An autopsy of an older female, as well as fecal samples of an adult male that started showing symptoms, also confirmed leprosy.
Although the study is the first to report leprosy in wild chimpanzees, there have been cases in captive chimps.
Uncommon Strains and Uncertain Origins
“The strains identified in each chimpanzee population are different, and both are rare in humans and other animal reservoirs worldwide,” said Dr. Charlotte Avanzi, from Colorado State University.
“This study unlocks a new step toward the understanding of the disease transmission in endemic countries and more investigations will eventually shed light on the dynamic of transmission between human, animal, and environmental sources.”
Dr. Hockings added: “In Guinea-Bissau it is possible that chimpanzees somehow acquired leprosy from humans in this shared landscape, although people do not kill or eat chimpanzees.
“It is clear that leprosy is now being transmitted between separate chimpanzee communities.”
Professor Leendertz added: “In the Ivory Coast, chimpanzees are more distant from human settlements and it seems more likely that the chimpanzees acquired the infection from another animal species, or from an environmental source such as ticks or bacteria living in water.”
Leprosy in humans is easily treated with medication, but the impact on chimpanzees is hard to predict.
“Western chimpanzees are critically endangered, so even the loss of a few individuals could be significant,” said Dr. Hockings.
“Long-term health monitoring and research is needed to establish the scale and possible effects of leprosy among wild western chimpanzees,” said Dr. Wittig.
The international research team included authors from West Africa, Europe, and the USA.
Reference: “Leprosy in wild chimpanzees” by Kimberley J. Hockings, Benjamin Mubemba, Charlotte Avanzi, Kamilla Pleh, Ariane Düx, Elena Bersacola, Joana Bessa, Marina Ramon, Sonja Metzger, Livia V. Patrono, Jenny E. Jaffe, Andrej Benjak, Camille Bonneaud, Philippe Busso, Emmanuel Couacy-Hymann, Moussa Gado, Sebastien Gagneux, Roch C. Johnson, Mamoudou Kodio, Joshua Lynton-Jenkins, Irina Morozova, Kerstin Mätz-Rensing, Aissa Regalla, Abílio R. Said, Verena J. Schuenemann, Samba O. Sow, John S. Spencer, Markus Ulrich, Hyacinthe Zoubi, Stewart T. Cole, Roman M. Wittig, Sebastien Calvignac-Spencer and Fabian H. Leendertz, 13 October 2021, Nature.
DOI: 10.1038/s41586-021-03968-4
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83 Comments
I hope that you are aware that fear-mongering comes in all sorts of ways. Many suffer from skin lesions which can be mistaken for leprosy. I have many personal experiences with those who are battling to be accepted by society, coming away from self-destructive behavior induced by ostracization because of appearance. Such photos should have a caution attached as being distressing and shaded until clicked on. There is enough hatred going round and plenty of methods leading to early death and destruction without added undue stress.
What the F?? What are you ON about?? This is about CHIMPANZEES, not HUMANS. Are you so desperate to be a victim that you will manufacture a cause sot hat you can then be faux offended and outraged? Give it a rest please. I realize most humans think they are the most important thing on the planet…but not EVERYTHING is about YOU. FFS.
🙄 The article is about Chimpanzees. The author cites that the leprosy Chimpanzees have is not seen in humans. I find no fear mongering in this article, nor stereotypes!
Take the affected ones to quarantine and treat them
Please help them. So very awful. Human in origin I would assume.
Somebody should mercy kill those chimps. ASAP.
Pamela Mukasa, This article was not about humans. If you actually read the article, you’d know that they said they tested these animals when autopsied/necropsied. Take it down a notch.
Joggers will rape anything.
That’s an unintended mutation from man-made COVID19. This happens when the forces of evil don’t take the time to thoroughly test their man-made virus skipping animal testing. Of course you’re free to believe the leprosy just magically appeared on its own, for the first time in primate history, this whole time primates have been around without ever getting leprosy, pure coincidence.
Well of course humans are responsible, but not just any human, successful white males for sure.
Pamela your commentary is completely off topic and uninformed. While I do agree that MSM without a doubt is nothing short of a propaganda machine that does nothing but generate fear and slanted globalist misinformation. However your suggestion that this article is doing that same thing is entirely wrong.
Pam…you need 2 chill!!
If humans are the reason for this maybe the humans that did it needs the same thing
Jeez
Don’t be ret*rded Pam
Not in a narrative or ideology a isolated viewpoint. If I offend anyone my apologies. I want to many expectations and safaris in the past and unfortunately many individuals spoke about eating meat which is called bushmeat. I am a vegetarian and I was never interested in such topics period but I like to say hello to the many friends that were there especially a lady friend from Japan and this is my number in case She WANTS TO get back in contact with ME
848-466-2821 I had some of my documents in a storage facility and unfortunately they made a mistake and threw my personal items out. Yes they gave me a reimbursement of $1,000 but I can never replace the information . Getting back to the topic It’s Not Unusual to eat all types of bushmeat snakes or wherever It’s Not Unusual just might isolated Viewpoint no one ever has to agree with me.
Your an idiot jaba
Are you serious?! This is Not about You or your or your pimples. This is about Chimps in the wild with Leprosy..
This should be a WakeUp( not woke) Lesson for All of you sh*t starters, pot stirrers, and all of you critical about any uncomfortable thing going on in the world…. SHUT YOUR MOUTH… KEEP YOUR THOUGHTS, IDEAS, AND MOSTLY YOUR PLANS TO CHANGE HISTORY BECAUSE IT BOTHERS
YOU.. TO YOURSELF!
Thanks. ✌️
Question: Is anyone going to try and help the Chimpanzees? Since there are few left in the wild. It is treatable in us so it shouldn’t be too difficult to treat them
If you think you could be triggered by content in an article on leprosy in wild chimpanzees, don’t click on the article. But don’t accuse them of fear-mongering when what they’re doing is called reporting.
That top comment… 🤦🏻♂️ Stop with your over sensitive bullsh*t. People have their own problems to worry about, and certainly don’t give a flying, you know what, about some snowflakes feelings.
You should be sterilized.
That’s not leprosy
I worked in Angola,Liberia,Nigeria,Congo Basin as an anthropologist in 1975-1982
I was always fearful of disease carrying insects and bacteria. I always got my shots and boosters. I did get Malaria and Yaws but survived
I’m sure ya Europeans are definitely the blame for this outbreak!
What a bunch of nutcases who 1.) Did not read the article thoroughly or didn’t understand it, and/or 2.) Don’t know what the hell they are talking about.
Jaba…How’re things Q-ville? 🙄🙄
Jaba, How’re thing in Q-Ville? 🙄
Leviticus 13:30
“Then the priest shall see the plague: and, behold, if it be in sight deeper than the skin; and there be in it a yellow thin hair; then the priest shall pronounce him unclean: it is a dry scall, even a leprosy upon the head or beard.”
Numbers 12:10
“And the cloud departed from off the tabernacle; and, behold, Miriam became leprous, white as snow: and Aaron looked upon Miriam, and, behold, she was leprous.”
Is leprosy curable if you catch it in the early stages? It is sad to see an animal suffer with this dreaded disease. 🙁
“The strains identified in each chimpanzee population are different, and both are rare in humans”
That is until the weaponize it at the Wuhan lab
Lol . Y’all can’t be butt hurt on here. Be humble and kind y’all
My goodness Pam! What planet are you from? Or,what article did you read? Did you actually read it? Smh
I find it rather interesting reading through the other comments. They’re from one end of the spectrum to the other. Jokes, empathy, chastising…. and even facts.
Granted it’s chimpanzees.
But…
If they’ve never had it before and all of a sudden do after his many millenia?
Has Fauci been to the Ivory coast recently?
Valid question considering recent revelations
Nice human shaming! leave it to you scientists to be experts at the above mentioned shaming. I’m sure one of your Brothers or sister scientists unleashed that Leprosy on them purposely to be able to study the effects that it has on them
Pamela Mukusa~No words for such ignorance! Happy people are speaking up with the appropriate comments.
Jaba Juce~You may very well be on to something. Just look at the current stories circulating about horrific animal testing. So nothing would surprise me.
These chimps don’t need studied. They either need cured or killed. Holy Hosannah what is wrong with our professional people? It’s a disease that can transmit to people. It needs to be gotten rid of or contained not studied in some lab. Oh wait. Yeah . I hear it now. My bad. Study away. Roflol
Has anyone in the comments even heard of AIDS and where was the origin of AIDS formed?
It was first identified in 1984 in Africa and just so happens that it was first discovered in chimps and other monkey species found in the African jungles.
It just so happens that Dr.Fauci is connected with many preservation societies in Western and Southern Africa.
Does anyone know what really caused aids outbreaks in Africa to initially occur?
Wait for it….
Wait for it….
Vaccinated monkeys.
Well I wonder if Dr.Fault visted the Ivory Coast again just recently?
Well after finding out that evil fauci has been testing on puppies and monkeys I wouldn’t be surprised if this was something that he created through gain of function
Pamela does make some good points though…
Dr. Anthony Fauci
Horrible!
Who cares about these stupid ugly monsters. I love seeing them suffering from human diseases. Hope it spreads and they all die.
Leprosy is treatable.
This subspecies of chimpanzee is small in number, & therefor, at risk.
It’s cause they got vaccinated
OMG – are these poor Chimpanzees going to be helped? and what will be done to control, stop and eliminate the spread of this very contagious disease throughout the animal kingdom?
It’s awful that these beautiful animals have become infected by humans with diseases they should NEVER have had.
I have no twenty dollar words to use in my plea. I pray to GOD that help is on the way to save His beautiful creatures.
They do not deserve this to be happening to them. : (
Why can’t they be treated, if there are just a few so far? Surely the antibiotics used for humans would help if they can sequester the sick ones for a period of time.
Ooh ooh ahh ahh
Ion know what Pam is talking about, but I’d love to bust a load across that massive forehead while making monkey sounds as I beat on my chest. Id probably smack on her titties like bongos and slap her with banana peels.
I want to know what’s going to happen to this por animals?
if you’re going to help! if not stop talking sh*t. then all the technology is available used.if not don’t say a fuming thing all yall shot the f*ckup. Stupid hediots.
Get ready folks. This is your new epidemic.
Get ready folks. This is your new epidemic.
I’d check with Mrs. (NIH) Bio Ethics director faux.chi and Mr. faux.chi funding monkey torture, begal puppies and adult dog torturers etc…I’m sure they might have an idea about what’s going on here…after all they’re at the forefront of animal health.
All the comments jumping on Pam and not a single one commenting on the racism posted?
Yikes guys.
F*ck Joe Biden
I know this is off topic but I just want to make sure everyone knows that Dr. Faucci is a liar. A dangerous and consistent lying fool of a man with no real information for us that can be trusted. He has been exposed for the major lie he told under oath about the U.S. not funding gain of function research at the lab in Wuhan China. It is verified now that we did and he absolutely knew it. Its bad enough to know this makes us at least partially responsible for creating this pandemic.. but Why are we still listening to this clown? He has been like this from day one: masks.. no masks.. okay masks, it’s just a flu.. oops, shots work.. oops not that great, vaccinated can go about life normally.. oops just kidding. He is so darn political, it’s ridiculous. He needs to go! FIRED! Before he says any more stupid stuff people listen to. Get a real doctor in that role. We want the truth. They are thinking about vaccinating the youngest of our children without significant testing or time to be sure it’s safe. I’m fine with us adults, not so much with our teens but it is probably necessary, but our little ones…you better be sure it’s safe first. They don’t even get Covid-19 very serious, if at all. The flu could also kill older people and we don’t force the flu shot on everyone.. just be careful with the little ones,, okay?? I don’t care what Dr. Faucci says. As a matter of fact, whatever he says…do the opposite!! He just needs to go so we can get some real information not a political viewpoint. Red or blue doesn’t matter to nature. We need real information, tell everyone you know. It is dangerous to leave him in place. We need to call for his resignation before he does real harm. People get swayed easily, so we don’t need our experts playing politics!
Fauci is to blame. He ran out of dogs to experiment on!!!@
This is by accident or a coincidence to arrive while the rest of the world suffers with another man made virus funded by the US and CCP governments with Fauci leading the way!
This is not by accident or a coincidence to arrive while the rest of the world suffers with another man made virus funded by the US and CCP governments with Fauci leading the way!
This is what happens when people in power play in labs and test it on animals, humans, or the atmosphere, and it comes back on us and eventually will harm us ALL
What did you all do to these animals? Enough with experimenting on these beautiful primates.
If everyone would stop thinking of the human implication, they would realize this is just another factor the chimpanzee faces in it’s struggle against extinction.
Holy crap, scitechdaily. Your comment section is a dumpster fire.
Thankfully there is a cure for Java and Pam’s stupidity, a nice crisp .45 ACP or a set of tools used to prevent humans from reproducing, so they can’t spread their brain-dead-disorder
Apparently, human contact there with these troops has progressed, from traditional missionary gratification (HIV), to chimp’s submitting to oral.
People arguing here never read a science article until it became something to fight over.
There are over a hundred years worth of National Geographic magazines one could flip through, hard copies, available by the ton at your local flea market.
It is fascinating to see how our understanding of the world has developed over time.
These hateful comments sound like entitled white people 😂 so desperate to be heard, sounds like mommy and daddy issues to me, I’m so sorry to whoever hurt you so bad that you result to internet trolling of all things 🤣 that’s embarrassing lol do better
Go suck some BLM dick somewhere else. Stfu and keep in the welfare line for your handouts
Don’t be a Pam, Pam.
What is wrong with these people? Can people read? I mean seriously, are these people reading on a kindergarten level? Did Google start sending science articles to wackos to try and help? I don’t know man, this comment section makes me lose hope in society. I sure hope nobody I know is willing to say some of the this sh*t on here or make up some conspiracy when it’s just an ape with a disease.. you know who they are when they mention Fauci. Only one party from one country keeps mentioning him and care about his opinion.
Lol I find it so strange howost these comments are not about the champeez but the comment this lady left…lol…are we that bored..lmao
It says that the strains of leprosy found in the chimpanzee are RARE in humans. I like how certain people read the articles and then tell everyone else what they think it said. I’m trying to figure out what not killing and not eating the chimpanzees has any effect on the chimpanzee contracting leprosy from humans.. Dr. Hockings added: “In Guinea-Bissau it is possible the chimpanzees somehow acquired leprosy from humans in this shared landscape, although people do not kill or eat chimpanzees.
One more cross species disease. Sad.
Everybody hates each other so much. It’s become such a horrible world. 😪 just kill off the rest of the animals faster, why make them suffer so.Then our turn.
Pam you stand and appeal your thoughts. These entitled w W people can go ahead to hell with their stupid self absorbed sound bites. How the hell do you tell someone from that country how to respond to the issue. Saw how you feel because it is YOUR DEVINE RIGHT TO DO SO.
Pam you stand and appeal your thoughts. These entitled people can go ahead to hell with their stupid self absorbed sound bites. How the heck do you tell someone from that country how to respond to the issue. Saw how you feel because it is YOUR DEVINE RIGHT TO DO SO.
Leprosy after COVID Vaccine.
Somewoman. Yes we are that bored.
I was pleased with the one random bible quoter. As I read the article I thought to myself “Ope, here comes the end times fanatics”. Just sad there was only one quoting scripture. These other comments though….. I’m dying.
Are we sure Fauci isn’t involved?
Lysine cures skin diseases, Megadoses 15,000 mgs should clear it up in 4 days. Boom 💣
Ok Pamela , that’s a chimpanzee not a human.maybe you think that leprosy make people looks like a chimpanzee.
Pamela, you are an idiot.
These cases were confirmed by examination and dna to scientically rule it as two diffrent strains of leprosy. This isn’t a misdiagnosis. It was clearly stated how it was diagnosed. This should be alarming to anyone. The causes need to be be investigated not limited to human contact. Animals don’t usually get thing like leprosy all of the sudden out if thin air unless there’s a direct source. Like people getting aids how do you think the first person contracted aids? Hmmm?
This is payback for AIDS !