Prevalence of gastrointestinal helminth parasites in rhesus macaques and local residents in the central mid-hills of Nepal.

Rhesus macaques (Macaca mulatta) are distributed across Nepal in close association with humans and with a high probability of sharing of soil-transmitted intestinal helminth parasites. This study was carried out to determine the prevalence, richness and risk factors of gastrointestinal (GI) helminth parasites among rhesus macaques and humans in the Daunne Forest area, a community managed forest in the central mid-hills of Nepal. A total of 190 fecal samples, including 120 samples from rhesus macaques residing around the Daunne Devi Temple and in the surrounding forest, and 70 from local people, were microscopically examined by direct wet mount, floatation and sedimentation methods. Seasonal and age-sex based variations in helminth parasite prevalence were analyzed. Among the rhesus macaques, the total parasite prevalence was 39.2 %. Strongyloides sp. accounted for the highest prevalence (19.17 %) followed by Ascaris sp. (13.33 %), hookworm (10.83 %) and Trichuris sp. (4.17 %). Among the humans, Ascaris lumbricoides (11.3 %) was the only parasite detected. The Sorenson's coefficient of similarity of GI parasites between the macaques and local people at the generic level was 0.4. Mean parasite richness for the macaques was 1.21 ± 0.41 (SD) per infected sample. Parasite prevalence in the summer season (41.4 %) was higher than in the winter season (36 %). Adult macaques (41.67 %) had higher GI parasite prevalence than the young (30.77 %) and infants (27.27 %). Among the adult macaques, the prevalence rate was significantly higher (P=0.005) in females (52.46 %) than in males (22.86 %). Our results indicate that the temple rhesus macaques have a high prevalence of GI helminth parasites and could pose a potential zoonotic risk. As such, the need for routine monitoring and an effective management strategy is essential.

Aggression and brain serotonergic responsivity: response to slides in male macaques.

The association between central serotonergic responsivity (measured by prolactin response to acute administration of fenfluramine hydrochloride) and aggressivity was examined in 40 adult male cynomolgus monkeys (Macaca fascicularis). Prolactin response to fenfluramine was distributed bimodally with 24 monkeys displaying a "low" prolactin response and 15 showing a "high" prolactin response to the fenfluramine challenge. Behavioral responsivity was assessed by placing the monkeys individually in an open-field enclosure and presenting a series of photographic slides depicting both threatening and nonthreatening images. Monkeys that were low prolactin responders displayed significantly more aggressive gestures in response to a threatening slide of a human being than did the high responders (p < 0.05). Insofar as fenfluramine-stimulated prolactin release assesses serotonergic responsivity, these data support related findings in people and nonhuman primates linking reduced serotonergic activity and aggression.

Tinjil island, a natural habitat breeding facility of simian retrovirus-free Macaca fascicularis.

Institut Pertanian Bogor (Bogor Agricultural University) has established a collaborative agreement with the Indonesian Ministry of State for Population and Environment and the United States Primate Research Consortium, consisting of the University of Washington Regional Primate Research Center (UW-RPRC), the Oregon Regional Primate Research Center (ORPRC), and the Bowman Gray School of Medicine at the Wake Forest University, to populate and manage a breeding facility of longtailed macaques (Macaca fascicularis) on Tinjil island, a 6 km2 island off the southern coast of West Java, Indonesia. Screening protocols have been established to select only simian retrovirus (SRV)-free animals for the colony. Animals originating in either West Java or Sumatra were individually caged and screened over a period of 3-5 months for the presence of SRV and tuberculosis. Whole blood specimens were taken from seronegative animals for virus isolation. Two months after the first screening, all negative animals were retested for SRV antibody and virus isolation. All animals remaining negative after this testing procedure and which have at least four consecutive negative TB tests were transported to the island. To date, 1,306 animals have been screened with 478 released to the island, and at least 750 babies were born on the island. Three batches of progeny of 45-50 juveniles each have been retrieved from the island, and are being used in AIDS-related research projects. © 1994 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

Baboon (Papio hamadryas) visual preferences for regions of the face.

Preferences for regions of the face were examined in four members of a hamadryas baboon (Papio hamadryas) group. Subjects were presented a series of photographic slides displaying various facial regions and combinations of regions of the dominant male in the group with the use of the method of paired comparison. An apparatus consisting of a two-slide screen/two-push-button arrangement permitted the baboons to control slide selection and viewing duration. Both duration and frequency of slide activation were recorded. Correlations of viewing durations among all subjects were significant (p less than or equal to .05). The eye region alone and in combination with other regions received significantly more attention than did all other regions or combinations. Frequency measures were not significant. The results support findings obtained with rhesus monkeys (Macaca mulatta) and suggest that the eye region may provide a primate with an important source of information, possibly information about intent.