Institute of Medical Microbiology, University Hospital Münster, Münster, Germany.
Am J Primatol. 2012 Dec;74(12):1071-5. doi: 10.1002/ajp.22067. Epub 2012 Aug 21.
Reintroduction of sanctuary apes to natural habitat is considered an important tool for conservation; however, reintroduction has the potential to endanger resident wild apes through the introduction of human pathogens. We found a high prevalence of drug-resistant, human-associated lineages of Staphylococcus aureus in sanctuary chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes) from Zambia and Uganda. This pathogen is associated with skin and soft tissue diseases and severe invasive infections (i.e. pneumonia and septicemia). Colonization by this bacterium is difficult to clear due to frequent recolonization. In addition to its pathogenic potential, human-related S. aureus can serve as an indicator organism for the transmission of other potential pathogens like pneumococci or mycobacteria. Plans to reintroduce sanctuary apes should be reevaluated in light of the high risk of introducing human-adapted S. aureus into wild ape populations where treatment is impossible.
重新引入避难所中的猿类到自然栖息地被认为是保护的重要手段；然而，重新引入也有可能通过引入人类病原体而危及居住在野外的猿类。我们在赞比亚和乌干达的避难所黑猩猩（Pan troglodytes）中发现了高比例的耐药、与人相关的金黄色葡萄球菌谱系。这种病原体与皮肤和软组织疾病以及严重的侵袭性感染（即肺炎和败血症）有关。由于经常重新定植，这种细菌的定植很难清除。除了其致病潜力之外，与人相关的金黄色葡萄球菌可以作为其他潜在病原体（如肺炎球菌或分枝杆菌）传播的指示生物。鉴于将适应人类的金黄色葡萄球菌引入无法治疗的野生猿类种群中存在很高的风险，应重新评估重新引入避难所中猿类的计划。
