title: Intestinal schistosomiasis in chimpanzees on Ngamba Island, Uganda: observations on liver fibrosis, schistosome genetic diversity and praziquantel treatment.
abstract: Despite treatment with praziquantel (PZQ) at 40 mg/kg in food, several chimpanzees on Ngamba Island Chimpanzee Sanctuary (NICS) continue to excrete eggs of Schistosoma mansoni. To monitor disease, 8 animals were closely examined under anaesthesia in March 2011 with portable ultrasonography and by rectal snip biopsy. Schistosome genetic diversity had been previously assayed within 4 of these chimpanzees, finding extensive diversity with 27 DNA barcodes encountered, although none was common to all animals. Calcified schistosome eggs were found in the rectal snips from 5 chimpanzees and liver fibrosis was clearly documented, indicative of progressive disease in 6 animals, the latter being surprisingly advanced in a younger chimpanzee. All 8 animals were treated under anaesthesia by oral gavage with PZQ at 60 mg/kg dosing that was well tolerated. These animals were again re-examined in June 2012 using stool and urine sampling. Only 1 chimpanzee appeared to be free from infection and active egg excretion was confirmed in 6 animals. If intestinal schistosomiasis is to be controlled within this setting, a long-term disease management plan is required which should combine active case-detection with an insistent treatment regime with praziquantel for these chimpanzees, exploring perhaps the performance of even higher dosing.
authors.affiliation: Ecology & Evolutionary Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, New Jersey 08544, USA.
authors.forename: C J
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Standley
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Mugisha
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Adriko
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Arinaitwe
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Rukundo
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Ajarova
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Mopya
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Betson
authors.forename: N B
authors.initials: NB
authors.lastname: Kabatereine
authors.forename: J R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Stothard
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000871:Anthelmintics / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use; D018420:Ape Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000469:parasitology*; D058893:DNA Barcoding, Taxonomic; D005243:Feces / Q000469:parasitology; D005260:Female; D014644:Genetic Variation; D006801:Humans; D008103:Liver Cirrhosis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000469:parasitology / Q000662:veterinary*; D008297:Male; D002679:Pan troglodytes; D010270:Parasite Egg Count; D011223:Praziquantel / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use; D012550:Schistosoma mansoni / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000235:genetics* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D012555:Schistosomiasis mansoni / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000469:parasitology / Q000662:veterinary*; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014454:Uganda; D014463:Ultrasonography; D014556:Urine / Q000469:parasitology
chemical_list: D000871:Anthelmintics; D011223:Praziquantel