Nonhuman primates are susceptible to a wide variety of bacterial agents. Some important bacterial species that deserve mention are <italic>Mycobacterium tuberculosis, Shigella</italic> spp, <italic>Salmonella</italic> spp, <italic>Escherichia coli, Campylobacter</italic> spp, and <italic>Klebsiella</italic> spp [<xref ref-type="bibr" rid="bib001">1</xref>]. Research among primate populations has the potential to predict which pathogens might enter human populations as contact with forested regions increases.Almost all primates harbour <italic>E. coli, Shigella</italic> spp and <italic>Salmonella</italic> spp. in the alimentary tract. Fortunately, the most serious human pathogens of these two groups, <italic>Shigella dysenterriae</italic> type 1 and <italic>Salmonella typhi</italic>, [<xref ref-type="bibr" rid="bib002">2</xref>] have only rarely been isolated from nonhuman primates. However, several others species including <italic>Shigella flexneri, S. sonnii</italic> and <italic>Salmonella typhimirium</italic> and <italic>S. indiana</italic> which are also infectious to man, have been recovered from monkeys [<xref ref-type="bibr" rid="bib003">3</xref>,<xref ref-type="bibr" rid="bib004">4</xref>]. The primate carrying the organism can have a fulminating fatal infection at any time, with excretion of large numbers of organisms during the course of the disease or as silent shedders, which can then be transmitted to humans [<xref ref-type="bibr" rid="bib005">5</xref>].Toxin-producing <italic>Escherichia coli</italic> such as shiga toxigenic <italic>Escherichia coli</italic> (STEC) cause a wide spectrum of ailments from mild diarrhoea to severe diseases, in man and animals [<xref ref-type="bibr" rid="bib006">6</xref>]. The pathogenicity of these bacteria is mainly mediated by shiga toxins (Stx1, Stx2 and their variants) encoded by <italic>stx1</italic> and <italic>stx2</italic> genes or <italic>eaeA</italic> gene [<xref ref-type="bibr" rid="bib007">7</xref>]. This preliminary study was undertaken to find the prevalence of enteric pathogens from monkeys, their drug resistance and virulence gene profile.<sec id="sec001"><title>Bacteriological examination of samples

JRSKUASTJ

Journal of Research, SKUAST–J

0972-7469

Sher-E-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology, Jammu

jrskuastj-4-1-019

SHORT COMMUNICATION

Enteric pathogens from temple monkeys in Jammu

Taku

A.K.

Bhat

M.A.

Dutta

T.K.

Kumar

V.S. Senthil

Division of Veterinary Microbiology and Immunology, SKUAST–J, R S Pura, Jammu-181 102

62005

41130134

Nonhuman primates are susceptible to a wide variety of bacterial agents. Some important bacterial species that deserve mention are <italic>Mycobacterium tuberculosis, Shigella</italic> spp, <italic>Salmonella</italic> spp, <italic>Escherichia coli, Campylobacter</italic> spp, and <italic>Klebsiella</italic> spp [<xref ref-type="bibr" rid="bib001">1</xref>]. Research among primate populations has the potential to predict which pathogens might enter human populations as contact with forested regions increases.Almost all primates harbour <italic>E. coli, Shigella</italic> spp and <italic>Salmonella</italic> spp. in the alimentary tract. Fortunately, the most serious human pathogens of these two groups, <italic>Shigella dysenterriae</italic> type 1 and <italic>Salmonella typhi</italic>, [<xref ref-type="bibr" rid="bib002">2</xref>] have only rarely been isolated from nonhuman primates. However, several others species including <italic>Shigella flexneri, S. sonnii</italic> and <italic>Salmonella typhimirium</italic> and <italic>S. indiana</italic> which are also infectious to man, have been recovered from monkeys [<xref ref-type="bibr" rid="bib003">3</xref>,<xref ref-type="bibr" rid="bib004">4</xref>]. The primate carrying the organism can have a fulminating fatal infection at any time, with excretion of large numbers of organisms during the course of the disease or as silent shedders, which can then be transmitted to humans [<xref ref-type="bibr" rid="bib005">5</xref>].Toxin-producing <italic>Escherichia coli</italic> such as shiga toxigenic <italic>Escherichia coli</italic> (STEC) cause a wide spectrum of ailments from mild diarrhoea to severe diseases, in man and animals [<xref ref-type="bibr" rid="bib006">6</xref>]. The pathogenicity of these bacteria is mainly mediated by shiga toxins (Stx1, Stx2 and their variants) encoded by <italic>stx1</italic> and <italic>stx2</italic> genes or <italic>eaeA</italic> gene [<xref ref-type="bibr" rid="bib007">7</xref>]. This preliminary study was undertaken to find the prevalence of enteric pathogens from monkeys, their drug resistance and virulence gene profile.<sec id="sec001"><title>Bacteriological examination of samples

Faecal samples from 68 apparently healthy monkeys from different locations in Jammu, especially around temple premises were collected by means of sterile swabs.

For E. coli the samples were directly cultured on MacConkey's agar plates (HiMedia, Mumbai, India). For salmonella the samples were inoculated in selenite broth and incubated at 37°C overnight and subcultured on deoxycholate agar plate.

Lactose fermenting colonies from MacConkey's agar plates were picked up and subcultured on eosin methylene blue (EMB) agar (HiMedia). The cultures were identified by standard morphological and biochemical tests as described by Buchanan and Gibbon [8].

All the isolates identified as E. coli were serogrouped from National Salmonella and Escherichia Centre, Central Research Institute, Kasauli, H.P.173204.

Antibiotic sensitivity test

The in-vitro susceptibility of isolates to antimicrobial agents was determined by single disc diffusion method described by Bauer et al. [9]. Interpretation of isolates as sensitive and resistant was made as per the interpretation chart of the supplier.

Screening of <italic>e. coli</italic> for virulence gene

The E. coli strains were subjected to multiplex polymerase chain reaction (m-PCR) for detection of stx₁, stx₂, eaeA and EHEC hlyA genes as per the procedure followed by Wani et al. [10].

In this study 84 bacterial cultures were obtained from 68 feacal samples. Out of these 68 were E. coli, 10 were Salmonella spp. and 6 were Shigella spp.

Out of 68 E. coli strains isolated 50 belonged to 26 different serogroups (O3, O6, O7, O10, O11, O18, O20, O23, O24, O25, O29, O40, O60, O69, O79, O82, O83, O88, O124, O129, O131, O153, O166, O167, O171 and O172) while as remaining 4 isolates were rough and 14 untypable. The O25 and O29 serogroups were found predominantly prevalent (14 % each) followed by O23 (12%).

The in-vitro sensitivity of E. coli isolates showed that all isolates were sensitive to chloramphenicol and gentamicin whereas 98.5% isolates were sensitive to kanamycin. 91% were sensitive to streptomycin. 89.7% were sensitive to tetracycline, 76.4% were sensitive to sulphadiazine. As many as 67.64% were resistant to ampicillin.

None of the E coli isolates tested was positive for the toxin gene screened.

Non human primates and wildlife are exposed to infectious diseases from environmental contaminants in the air, soil, water and food. They can suffer from acute and chronic diseases from such exposure to pathogens.

The isolation of potentially dangerous human pathogens Salmonella spp., Shigella spp. and serogroups of E. coli is interesting. S. sonnii, S. boydii, and S. flexneri have earlier been isolated from sub-adults and adult gorillas. The prevalence of Campylobacter spp. and Salmonella spp. infections among human-habituated gorillas has doubled during the last 4 years, and isolation of Shigella spp. for the first time from mountain gorillas, may indicate enhanced anthropozoonotic transmission of these enteropathogens [1].

Presence of E. coli specially the human pathogenic serogroups O6, O7, O11, O124, O20, O166, O69, O79, O82, O83, O88 are an indicators of potential hazardous infections of human communities. Studies in African continent has also revealed presence of enteric pathogens from NHP including major pathogens like Salmonella spp., Shigella spp. and Campylobacter jejuni [11].

Serogroups O6, O7 and O11 are known to cause septicaemic infection in human neonates, O124 causes EPEC enteritis, O131, O20 and O166 causes ETEC enteritis, O25 causes infantile enteritis. Serogroup O29, O3, O60, O69, O79, O82, O83, O88 are also frequently isolated from human infections [12]. The presence of these pathogenic serogroups has public health significance because of proximity of nonhuman primates to human dwellings [13]. This is especially true around temples where monkeys are attracted by offerings of fruits. Contamination of edible offerings eaten by pilgrims may lead to dissemination of these infections as E. coli survives for 5 months in water, 2 months on surfaces which increase the chances of contact with people.

The pathogenicity of verotoxin-producing Escherichia coli (VTEC) or shiga toxigenic Escherichia coli bacteria is mainly mediated by shiga toxins (Stx1, Stx2 and their variants) encoded by stx1 and stx2 genes and the products of the locus of enterocyte effacement (LEE) pathogenicity island, with the eaeA gene that encodes for the intimin protein involved in the intimate adhesion of bacteria to enterocytes and production of attaching and effacing (AE) lesion on the intestinal mucosa. All the 68 isolates were negative for the toxin gene studied. The lack of any virulence genes from the present study can be because of diversity in pathogens adapted to primates. It may also be because of collection of samples from apparently healthy animals. Blanco et al. [14] have found 15 monkey E. coli strains were positive with universal primers EAE-1 and EAE-2 that generated PCR products obtained from the amplified 5′-conserved region of the eae gene. These belonged to O142:H6, O128:H2, and two O127:H40 strains) to human enteropathogenic E. coli (EPEC), whereas eight strains showed new serotypes not previously found in human or animal AEEC with O132:H31, O139:H14 and one O167:H6, O26:H7, O49:H46 and O33:H-strain intimins. In-vitro sensitivity of E. coli isolates showed that all isolates were sensitive to gentamicin and chloramphenicol. 98.5% isolates were sensitive to kanamycin followed by streptomycin (91%), tetracycline (89.7%) and sulphadiazine (76.4%). As many as 67.64% were resistant to ampicillin.

Often animals serve as disease sentinels, or early warning systems, for infections in the community. The work therefore needs to be extended to study the prevalence of other pathogens including parasitic and viral pathogens and mycobacteria considered common in non human primates.

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