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Human contact influences the foraging behaviour and parasite community in long-tailed macaques

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  30 January 2013

ALEXANDRA WENZ-MÜCKE*
Affiliation:
KIT, Zoological Institute, Department of Ecology and Parasitology, Kornblumenstrasse 13, 76131 Karlsruhe, Germany
PAIBOON SITHITHAWORN
Affiliation:
University of Khon Kaen, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Parasitology, 40002 Khon Kaen, Thailand Liver Fluke and Cholangiocarcinoma Research Center, Faculty of Medicine, Khon Kaen University, Khon Kaen 40002, Thailand
TREVOR N. PETNEY
Affiliation:
KIT, Zoological Institute, Department of Ecology and Parasitology, Kornblumenstrasse 13, 76131 Karlsruhe, Germany
HORST TARASCHEWSKI
Affiliation:
KIT, Zoological Institute, Department of Ecology and Parasitology, Kornblumenstrasse 13, 76131 Karlsruhe, Germany
*
*Corresponding author: KIT, Zoological Institute, Department of Ecology and Parasitology, Kornblumenstrasse 13, 76131 Karlsruhe, Germany. Tel: +49 721 60842701. Fax: +49 721 6087655. E-mail: Alex.wenz@web.de.

Summary

Human–wildlife interactions have reached unprecedented levels, and humans are influencing the earth's ecosystems more rapidly and extensively than ever before. This situation is cause for serious concern, especially since disease interactions between wildlife and humans have been recognized as major conservation threats. In this study, long-tailed macaques, Macaca fascicularis, from 2 forest parks located in north-eastern Thailand were investigated to determine the influence of habitat modification by humans on helminth parasite associations in non-human primates. Macaque populations with contact to anthropogenically modified environments were compared with sylvatic groups in nearby natural environments. In order to test for human–non-human primate transmission of parasites, the local human populations were also examined. Humans were infected with a number of potentially pathogenic parasites, including Opisthorchis viverrini and Strongyloides stercoralis. However, eggs of these helminths were not detected in macaque feces. Thus, no direct parasite transfer from humans to non-human primates could be confirmed. However, macaque groups with more frequent contact with human-modified habitats, and a higher portion of human-provided food in their diet, had significantly higher prevalences and intensities of Strongyloides fuelleborni and of an intestinal fluke (probably Haplorchis sp.) than sylvatic groups. Positive correlations were found between the time foraging on the ground and infection with S. fuelleborni, and the amount of human-provided food and intestinal fluke infection. Human alteration of habitat and associated modifications in non-human primate behaviour are likely to play a role in determining the occurrence, prevalence and intensity of zoonotic helminth infection of wild non-human primates.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2013

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