Dynamics of zoonotic soil-transmitted helminth infections in wild African green monkey (Chlorocebus aethiops sabaeus)
- 1Department of Biomedical Sciences, Ross University School of Veterinary Medicine, Basseterre, Saint Kitts and Nevis
Abstract
One quarter of humans are infected with soil-transmitted helminths (STHs) worldwide. African green monkey (AGM, Chlorocebus aethiops sabaeus) interacts directly or indirectly with humans frequently on the island of St Kitts. They serve as a reservoir for zoonotic pathogens of significant public health concerns. We have previously demonstrated that AGMs are infected with zoonotic parasites Trichuris trichiura and Hymenolepis diminuta. Nevertheless, research on their STHs is limited. In this study, faeces were opportunistically collected from wild AGMs near residential areas between May 2020 and March 2022. They were examined for zoonotic STHs using direct smears (2 per sample) and molecular detection (PCR and DNA sequencing). The positive detection rates for whipworm were 60.0%, 60.0% for individual smears and 77.8% when both smears were combined. For hookworm, the rates were 13.3%, 6.7%, and 15.6%, respectively. Agreement between direct smear and molecular detection was 44.4% for whipworm and 88.9% for hookworm. The study further compared the sensitivity of direct smear, flotation and molecular detection, demonstrating that prolonged deep freezing (−80 °C) minimally alters egg morphology but markedly impairs egg flotation, whereas PCR and direct smear remain informative for frozen faecal samples. DNA sequencing of the internal transcribed spacers identified the hookworm as Ancylostoma duodenale and Necator americanus, the human hookworms, for the first time genetically in AGMs. These findings underscore the need to include AGMs as an integral component of One Health strategies aiming at eliminating STH morbidity in pre-school and school-age children on St Kitts and other Caribbean islands.
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BibTeX
@article{teng2026dynamics,
title = {{Dynamics of zoonotic soil-transmitted helminth infections in wild African green monkey (Chlorocebus aethiops sabaeus)}},
author = {Yun Teng and Lee Zhen Lin and Christina Perea and Chaoqun Yao},
journal = {Parasitology},
year = {2026},
month = jun,
doi = {10.1017/s0031182026102212},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1017/s0031182026102212},
note = {CC BY 4.0},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Dynamics of zoonotic soil-transmitted helminth infections in wild African green monkey (Chlorocebus aethiops sabaeus)
AU - Yun Teng
AU - Lee Zhen Lin
AU - Christina Perea
AU - Chaoqun Yao
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/06/02
JO - Parasitology
DO - 10.1017/s0031182026102212
UR - https://doi.org/10.1017/s0031182026102212
AB - One quarter of humans are infected with soil-transmitted helminths (STHs) worldwide. African green monkey (AGM, Chlorocebus aethiops sabaeus) interacts directly or indirectly with humans frequently on the island of St Kitts. They serve as a reservoir for zoonotic pathogens of significant public health concerns. We have previously demonstrated that AGMs are infected with zoonotic parasites Trichuris trichiura and Hymenolepis diminuta. Nevertheless, research on their STHs is limited. In this study, faeces were opportunistically collected from wild AGMs near residential areas between May 2020 and March 2022. They were examined for zoonotic STHs using direct smears (2 per sample) and molecular detection (PCR and DNA sequencing). The positive detection rates for whipworm were 60.0%, 60.0% for individual smears and 77.8% when both smears were combined. For hookworm, the rates were 13.3%, 6.7%, and 15.6%, respectively. Agreement between direct smear and molecular detection was 44.4% for whipworm and 88.9% for hookworm. The study further compared the sensitivity of direct smear, flotation and molecular detection, demonstrating that prolonged deep freezing (−80 °C) minimally alters egg morphology but markedly impairs egg flotation, whereas PCR and direct smear remain informative for frozen faecal samples. DNA sequencing of the internal transcribed spacers identified the hookworm as Ancylostoma duodenale and Necator americanus, the human hookworms, for the first time genetically in AGMs. These findings underscore the need to include AGMs as an integral component of One Health strategies aiming at eliminating STH morbidity in pre-school and school-age children on St Kitts and other Caribbean islands.
SN - 0031-1820
SN - 1469-8161
ER -