Sero-epizootiologic survey of Trypanosoma brucei in Kenyan nonhuman primates.

Blood samples were collected from 121 individuals of three species of wild-caught nonhuman primates from Kenya, including African green monkeys (Cercopithecus aethiops), Syke's monkeys (C. mitis), and olive baboons (Papio cynocephalus anubis), and were examined for circulating Trypanosoma brucei and for T. brucei antigen and anti-trypanosome antibody. Indirect antibody enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay detected titers of anti-T. brucei antibodies in 13 of the primates sampled, and field-oriented latex agglutination test detected invariant T. brucei antigens in 10 (8.3%) of the primates. However, no trypanosomes were visible in blood smears, on wet blood films, or by buffy coat technique, nor were they demonstrable in a subset of C. aethiops individuals that were studied using mouse subinoculation.