Hepatitis viruses in non-human primates.

Background: Previous epidemiological studies of rural human populations in Gabon reveal a high prevalence of human hepatitis A, B, C and D viruses. In order to investigate the prevalence of the blood-born hepatitis viruses in apes and monkeys living in the same area, we performed an epidemiological survey of HBV, HCV and HDV in wild-born non-human primates.

Methods: We tested 441 wild-born non-human primates from Gabon and Congo and 132 imported monkeys for the presence of serological markers of HBV, HCV and HDV infections.

Results: None of Cercopithecidae monkeys were reactive against HBV/HDV and HCV. In contrast, 29.2% of wild-born great apes (154 chimpanzees and 14 gorillas) were positive for HBV serological markers. Nine chimpanzees were in the replicative phase of HBV infection. None of these HBV infected chimpanzees exhibited symptoms or significant changes in serum clinical chemistry related to HBV infection.

Conclusions: The negativity to HCV-related viruses and the negativity of the Cercopithecidae species tested against HBV/HDV do not allow us to definitively rule out the presence of an animal counterpart of human hepatitis viruses in non-human primates.