Reverse infections from people to wild animals could cost us wildlife
source: http://www.observer.ug/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=8361:animal-health-rever...
The Observer - ANIMAL HEALTH
We often tend to regard infections that arise from animals to affect humans as important. In doing so, we tend to ignore the fact that there are certain infections that flow in the opposite direction.
Yes, there have occurred many scenarios, the world over and Uganda too, where disease agents hosted by man have caused havoc in wild animal populations. I had a chance as a final year veterinary student to do my special research project on mountain gorilla diets in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park.
This meant that I had to spend sometime in the park learning about these famous endangered gorilla species collecting information for my research.
One of the most interesting stories that I landed on was about human scabies that had attacked a certain group of mountain gorillas in 1996.
The disease was reported to have affected all four members of the group, with the adults having a milder form of the disease while a particular young one was severely affected. These being freely living wild animals, it was never going to be easy to determine what kind of disease they were suffering from.
The affected gorillas had been observed to have; loss of hair, skin thickening, extreme debilitation and weight loss. Sadly the young one succumbed to the infection and died. Its death however, brought hope to the other members of the group as a post mortem examination that was done on it proved to be the saviour.
The post mortem results indicated that the disease that was threatening the survival of these great primates was indeed scabies. The remaining members of the group were treated for scabies and they recovered very well.
After this finding, a team of scientists then went on to find out where exactly the disease affecting these gorillas was coming from. They did research in the area and found out that that scabies was one of the most common diseases in the human populations surrounding the Bwindi forest.
The disease was found to be flourishing in impoverished crowded and low hygiene homesteads that lacked access to basic medical care. These were indeed the hosts of the same mites that caused scabies in the gorillas.
Furthermore, the link between these people and the gorillas was revealed.The movements of the gorillas were re-analysed in retrospect and it was discovered that they had periodically visited gardens in the said communities, to eat their banana crops.
The gorillas are believed to have made contact with mite containing materials or items that had been used by people in this area, there by getting the infection.
The story, as confirmed by publications from Dr. Gladys Kalema Zikusooka who was the leader of the team that managed the disease, and is currently the CEO of a Bwindi based NGO, Conservation through Public Health(CTPH), is a clear indication of how interactions between man and wild animals could have health implications on either side.
The UWA, Research Institutes and NGOs like CTPH are doing a great job in protected areas to; protect both wild animals and humans, enforce health regulation, and educate the masses, ensuring that wild animals and human communities live in harmony.
http://www.observer.ug/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=8361:animal-health-reverse-infections-from-people-to-wild-animals-could-cost-us-wildlife&catid=58:health-living&Itemid=89
We often tend to regard infections that arise from animals to affect humans as important. In doing so, we tend to ignore the fact that there are certain infections that flow in the opposite direction.
Yes, there have occurred many scenarios, the world over and Uganda too, where disease agents hosted by man have caused havoc in wild animal populations. I had a chance as a final year veterinary student to do my special research project on mountain gorilla diets in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park.
This meant that I had to spend sometime in the park learning about these famous endangered gorilla species collecting information for my research.
One of the most interesting stories that I landed on was about human scabies that had attacked a certain group of mountain gorillas in 1996.
The disease was reported to have affected all four members of the group, with the adults having a milder form of the disease while a particular young one was severely affected. These being freely living wild animals, it was never going to be easy to determine what kind of disease they were suffering from.
The affected gorillas had been observed to have; loss of hair, skin thickening, extreme debilitation and weight loss. Sadly the young one succumbed to the infection and died. Its death however, brought hope to the other members of the group as a post mortem examination that was done on it proved to be the saviour.
The post mortem results indicated that the disease that was threatening the survival of these great primates was indeed scabies. The remaining members of the group were treated for scabies and they recovered very well.
After this finding, a team of scientists then went on to find out where exactly the disease affecting these gorillas was coming from. They did research in the area and found out that that scabies was one of the most common diseases in the human populations surrounding the Bwindi forest.
The disease was found to be flourishing in impoverished crowded and low hygiene homesteads that lacked access to basic medical care. These were indeed the hosts of the same mites that caused scabies in the gorillas.
Furthermore, the link between these people and the gorillas was revealed.The movements of the gorillas were re-analysed in retrospect and it was discovered that they had periodically visited gardens in the said communities, to eat their banana crops.
The gorillas are believed to have made contact with mite containing materials or items that had been used by people in this area, there by getting the infection.
The story, as confirmed by publications from Dr. Gladys Kalema Zikusooka who was the leader of the team that managed the disease, and is currently the CEO of a Bwindi based NGO, Conservation through Public Health(CTPH), is a clear indication of how interactions between man and wild animals could have health implications on either side.
The UWA, Research Institutes and NGOs like CTPH are doing a great job in protected areas to; protect both wild animals and humans, enforce health regulation, and educate the masses, ensuring that wild animals and human communities live in harmony.
http://www.observer.ug/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=8361:animal-health-reverse-infections-from-people-to-wild-animals-could-cost-us-wildlife&catid=58:health-living&Itemid=89
-
- tags:
- Environment, Wildlife, Disease, Gorillas, 1 more
-
-
Kurta
-
Interesting story. It's certainly something most people fail to realize. I can't help but think of our antibiotics that find their way into wild ecosystems. That's getting into some dangerous territory in regards to the mortality rates among offspring.
- 2 years ago
-
Kurta
-
-
- julesrs007
- added this
more from Animal Videos and News:
from the community
-
1
-
2
-
3
-
4
-
5
-
6
-
7
-
8
-
9
-
10
- more
