Severe Enterobiasis in a Chimpanzee

Abstract

A 2-year-old, male chimpanzee (Pun troglodytes) was introduced into a mixed group of chimpanzees on a 30-acre island surrounded by a water-filled moat. A few days after being released o n the island he was observed to be depressed and anorectic. Clinical examination revealed dehydration and loss of weight but no sign indicative of a specific condition. The animal died 24 h after the initiation of supportive therapy.The carcass was dehydrated and emaciated. The air sacs2 were hyperemic and contained some purulent material. There were numerous raised ulcers approximately 1 cm in diameter in the lower ileum adjacent to the ileocecal valve. The centers of these ulcers were gray-yellow ; small white nematodes could be expressed from them. Histologically the ulcerated areas were characterized by variable necrosis of the mucosa and muscularis mucosa, with a severe diffuse pleocellular exudate; many had nematodes in their deeper portions (Fig. 1). Mucosal abscesses also occurred.Many of the mesenteric lymph nodes were enlarged and contained small white nodules. The nodules were composed of nematodes surrounded by necrotic debris and neutrophils (Fig. 2, 3). Nematodes from both locations had prominent lateral alae and a large posterior esophageal bulb. They were identified as Enterobius sp., probably E. anthropopitheci*.

Fatal infection with human pinworm, Enterobius vermicularis, in a captive chimpanzee

“…It is noteworthy that none of the females found in the intestinal tract were gravid although fecal examination revealed pinworm eggs. Interestingly, worm sections in the intestinal wall presented in the previous fatal cases also lacked eggs, suggesting they were immature [8, 11, 15, 19]. Moreover, all female worms found from the fatal enterobiasis of humans were immature, and the male spicule was typical of the young male as in the present case [1].…”

“…There have been four reports of fatal enterobiasis described in chimpanzees Pan troglodytes [8, 11, 15, 19]. The causative agents were identified down to the species level in only two of the fatal cases.…”

Systemic Pathology of Chimpanzees

“…The small white nematodes were usually on the surface of the large intestinal mucosa, and no morphologic damage was seen. In one case [114] there was involvement of the small intestine with severe ulcerative lesions and histologically there was mucosal necrosis and a diffuse inflammatory exudate with nematodes in the deeper portions of the ulcers ( fig. 33).…”

Intestinal Parasites of Free-ranging, Semicaptive,and Captive Pongo abelii in Sumatra, Indonesia

“…(Ashford et al 1990(Ashford et al , 1996Durette-Desset et al 1992;Freeman et al 2004;Hastings et al 1992;Kalema 1995;Kalema-Zikusoka et al 2002;LandsoudSoukate et al 1995;Lilly et al 2002;Mudakikwa et al 1998Mudakikwa et al , 2001Nizeyi et al 1999;Rothman et al 2002;Sleeman et al 2000;van Waerebeke et al 1988) and Pan spp. (Ashford et al 2000;File et al 1976;Hasegawa et al 1983;Holmes 1980;Huffman et al 1997;Hugot 1993;Kawabata and Nishida 1991;Kim et al 1978;Landsoud-Soukate et al 1995;Lilly et al 2002;McGrew et al 1989;Murray et al 2000;Schmidt and Prine 1970;Smith et al 1996;van Waerebeke et al 1988;Wrangham 1995).…”