Occurrence of gastrointestinal nematodes in captive nonhuman primates at Matang Wildlife Centre, Sarawak

Teo, SZ; Tuen, AA; Madinah, A; Aban, S; Chong, YL

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Occurrence of gastrointestinal nematodes in captive nonhuman primates at Matang Wildlife Centre, Sarawak

Author: Teo, S.Z. ¹ ; Tuen, A.A. ² ; Madinah, A ¹ ; Aban, S. ³ ; Chong, Y.L. ⁴
Author Information

1. Faculty of Resource Science and Technology, Universiti Malaysia Sarawak, 94300 Kota Samarahan, Sarawak, Malaysia
2. Institute of Biodiversity and Environmental Conservation, Universiti Malaysia Sarawak, 94300 Kota Samarahan, Sarawak, Malaysia
3. Matang Wildlife Centre, Jalan Sungai Rayu, Matang, 93050 Kuching, Sarawak, Malaysia
4. Department of Science and Environmental Studies, The Education University of Hong Kong, 10 Lo Ping Road, Tai Po, New Territories, Hong Kong
Publication Type:Journal Article
From:Tropical Biomedicine 2019;36(3):594-603
CountryMalaysia
Language:English
Abstract: Gastrointestinal nematodes can cause assorted health problems to human and other primates. The status of gastrointestinal nematodes in non-human primates remained less documented in Malaysia. This study aimed to determine the occurrence of gastrointestinal nematodes recovered from the fecal samples of captive non-human primates at the Matang Wildlife Centre (MWC), Sarawak. Fresh fecal samples were collected from 60 non-human primates of six species (i.e. Orangutan, Bornean gibbon, Silvered Leaf monkey, Slow loris, Pig-tailed macaque, and Long-tailed macaque) and processed using simple fecal floatation method and fecal sedimentation method. This study shows high prevalence of nematode infection (>50%) and co-infection (22 from 45 infected individuals) in all species of captive non-human primates found in MWC, except one individual of young Silvered Leaf monkey was negative for nematode. From these, eight genera of 11 species and one unknown nematode larvae were recovered and among them Oesophagostomum sp., Ascaris sp., and Strongyloides sp. were the most common nematodes infecting the non-human primates. All the Bornean gibbon (n=7) were found to be infected with nematodes. Moreover, Long-tailed macaques at the centre were heavily infected by Ascaris sp. (number of total count, nt = 2132; total mean abundance, MA=113.70). This is the first report of high prevalence nematode infection on multiple species of captive non-human primates in a wildlife centre located in Sarawak. Some of the nematodes are of zoonotic potential. This information is important for health care management, both in-situ and ex-situ conservations of captive and free-ranging nonhuman primates.
Full text:8.2019my1045.pdf