Background: During an outbreak of respiratory disease in captive chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes), gorillas (Gorilla gorilla), Bornean orangutans (Pongo pygmaeus), and red-capped mangabeys (Cercocebus torquatus) also staff members showed non-specific upper respiratory signs. One infant female chimpanzee with severe respiratory symptoms died despite immediate medical treatment and was submitted for necropsy.
Methods: Routine post mortem, histological and bacteriological examinations were conducted. Additionally lung tissue samples form the chimpanzee and swab samples from the staff members and the other primates were examined by PCR.
Results: A severe catarrhal to purulent bronchopneumonia and an interstitial pneumonia were found and human respiratory syncytial virus (HRSV) as well as Streptococcus pneumoniae was detected in lung samples by PCR. Swab samples from one animal keeper revealed the same HRSV sequence as of the chimpanzee.
Conclusions: Therefore, it is suggested that the outbreak of respiratory disease within a zoological institution was due to transmission of HRSV between both human and primates.