Long-term study reveals hidden threat of schistosomiasis in endangered chimpanzees

A 12-year study at Uganda's Ngamba Island Chimpanzee Sanctuary has uncovered the hidden threat of schistosomiasis in endangered chimpanzees. Intestinal schistosomiasis, spread by snails in shoreline waters, poses an ongoing health challenge for both the primates and the caretakers. While annual praziquantel treatments reduced infections, they were insufficient to stop transmission or prevent severe liver damage.

Ultrasound scans revealed advanced liver fibrosis in several chimps, a condition more commonly linked to prolonged human infection. The study, led by Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine researchers, underscores the need for a One Health approach – combining regular treatment, constant health monitoring, and environmental management – to safeguard the long-term welfare of these animals.

This underscores the importance of continual disease surveillance in chimpanzee sanctuaries across Africa and informs future conservation and veterinary management strategies. Dr. Alexandra Juhász, the study's lead author, emphasized that chimpanzees are globally endangered species and maintaining their health is a conservation priority.

She added that the findings highlight the necessity of a One Health approach, as the same parasite infects both humans and chimps, with infected snails maintaining transmission.