title: Clinical and pathologic manifestation of oesophagostomosis in African great apes: does self-medication in wild apes influence disease progression?
abstract: Nodular worms (Oesophagostomum spp.) are common intestinal parasites found in cattle, pig, and primates including humans. In human, they are responsible for serious clinical disease called oesophagostomosis resulting from the formation of granulomas, caseous lesions or abscesses in intestinal walls. In wild great apes, the fecal prevalence of this parasite is high, but little information is available concerning the clinical signs and lesions associated. In the present study, we describe six cases of multinodular oesophagostomosis in free-ranging and ex-captive chimpanzees and captive gorillas caused by Oesophagostomum stephanostomum. While severe clinical signs associated with this infection were observed in great apes raised in sanctuaries, nodules found in wild chimpanzees do not seem to affect their health status. One hypothesis to explain this difference would be that in wild chimpanzees, access to natural environment and behavior such as rough leaves swallowing combined with ingestion of plants having pharmacological properties would prevent severe infection and decrease potential symptoms.
authors.affiliation: USM 104 Eco-anthropologie et Ethnobiologie, Département Hommes, Natures, Sociétés, Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle, Paris, France. krief@mnhn.fr
authors.forename: Sabrina
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Krief
authors.forename: Aliette
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Jamart
authors.forename: Sandrine
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Mahé
authors.forename: Fabian H
authors.initials: FH
authors.lastname: Leendertz
authors.forename: Kerstin
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Mätz-Rensing
authors.forename: François
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Crespeau
authors.forename: Odile
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Bain
authors.forename: Jacques
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Guillot
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000835:Animals, Wild; D018420:Ape Diseases / Q000473:pathology* / Q000628:therapy; D001522:Behavior, Animal; D018450:Disease Progression; D005260:Female; D006071:Gorilla gorilla / Q000469:parasitology / Q000523:psychology*; D007422:Intestines / Q000469:parasitology / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D009814:Oesophagostomiasis / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy / Q000662:veterinary*; D009815:Oesophagostomum / Q000302:isolation & purification; D002679:Pan troglodytes / Q000469:parasitology / Q000523:psychology*; D008517:Phytotherapy; D010946:Plants, Medicinal; D012648:Self Care