About This Project

In Nepal people and primates come into close contact where humans both intentionally and unintentionally feed the resident primates. Close contact allow for the transmission of infections including methicillin resistant S. aureus MRSA, which can be deadly. We will characterize MRSA in primate saliva and environment and compare with human isolates to make predictions about the direction of transmission of MRSA, tuberculosis, and other potentially deadly infections.

Ask the Scientists

What is the context of this research?

We know that primates in captivity can acquire tuberculosis and MRSA from their human caregivers. However, it is not clear if under these conditions wild free-ranging primates both provide and receive pathogenic bacteria from human interaction. In a pilot study with our Nepalese colleagues, we were able to non-invasively sample 46 wild free-ranging primates using dental string soaked in sugar which is chewed by the animal and then discarded. Primates from all four areas were S. aureus positive with >50% of the samples positive. In two of the areas MRSA were isolated and they represented 16% of the S. aureus isolated. Both of these carriage rates are higher than normally found in humans in North America and Europe.

What is the significance of this project?

In Asia > 70% of the primates are classified as vulnerable, endangered or critically endangered (except rhesus monkeys) which means they could disappear forever. Threats to their existence include habitat destruction, large numbers in small shrinking habitat, shortage of food, susceptibility to diseases and hunting. Primates in captivity acquire tuberculosis and MRSA from their human caregivers. However, it is unclear what role infectious disease play and whether humans are transmitting bacterial diseases to wild animals at shrines and parks or under these conditions wild free-ranging primates both provide and receive pathogenic bacteria from human interaction, we found that 5 of 6 MRSA isolates from primates in Nepal had human MRSA suggesting transmission.

What are the goals of the project?

Funding is needed do further sampling to isolate more strains to obtain an adequate number to make predictions whether: 1) primates acquire MRSA from the people visiting the shrines/parks and thus are at increased risk of skin, soft tissue and systemic infections; 2) most of the S. aureus and MRSA are unique to the primates and thus may pose a risk to people visiting the shrines; or 3) both are occurring. Much of the money will be used to send supplies to Nepal for sampling and isolation. The work will increases the capacity of the Nepalese laboratories to do further studies on their native wildlife. In addition, what we learn in Nepal can be used as a model for studying primate-human interaction and pathogen transmission in other parts of Asia, Africa and the Americas.