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Zoonotic pathogens are among the most important causes of ill health all over the world. The presence of these pathogens in free ranging baboons may have significant implications for humans. In Kenya, the encroachment of wildlife habitats has led to increased interaction between humans and wildlife especially non‐human primates. The current study therefore aimed at investigating any possible zoonotic gastrointestinal helminths of olive baboons (Papio anubis) at the human–wildlife interface in two park borders and a ranch in Kenya, namely, Tsavo West National Park, Tana River Primate Reserve and Mutara Ranch, Laikipia, Kenya. One hundred and forty‐seven baboons were used in the study. They were trapped in the wild, sampled for stool marked and then released back to the wild. Gastrointestinal (GIT) helminths identified were Strongyloides, Oesophagostomum, Enterobius spp and Trichuris Trichiura from all the three sites while Schistosoma mansoni was only detected from Tsavo baboons and with very low incidence (2.1%). The prevalence of these parasites varied among the sites but significant difference in prevalence was only noted in Strongyloides and Oesophagostomum (p < 0.05) among the three sites. This therefore implies that even with control measures instituted on the human population, baboons will always be a source of zoonotic GIT helminths especially S. mansoni even if the incidence are low. There is need to put in place measures aiming to reduce their interactions with humans and also try to control these infections in the baboons.

Emerging infectious diseases (EIDs) originating from wildlife present a significant threat to global health, security, and economic growth, thus combatting their emergence is a public health priority. Humans and non-human primates (NHPs) exhibit a high degree of overlap in their genetic and physiological similarities, hence making them susceptible to majority of pathogens that can cross the primate species boundaries. However, efforts to understand the potential infectious disease-causing pathogens harbored by wild primate populations has lagged and is yet to be fully explored. Disease surveillance in wildlife to identify probable infectious disease outbreaks has remained a challenge especially in developing countries due to logistical and financial constrains associated with both periodic and longitudinal sample collection. Such loopholes have hampered the preparedness to handle the emerging infectious diseases whenever they arise. In this review we focus on successes, challenges, and proposed solutions for EID surveillance in non-human primate populations in Kenya. We discuss,1) mechanisms of cross species transmission of EIDs, 2) the role of NHPS in EID transmission, 3) results from past NHP pathogen surveillance projects in Kenya and 4) challenges and proposed solutions for NHP-EID surveillance. Finally, we propose that more studies need to include investigations into understanding how cross species transmission occurs in diverse NHP populations and how this impacts one health.

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