Low antibody prevalence against Bacillus cereus biovar anthracis in Taï National Park, Côte d'Ivoire, indicates high rate of lethal infections in wildlife

Research in Taï National Park, Côte d'Ivoire, reveals that Bacillus cereus biovar anthracis (Bcbva) causes highly lethal infections across multiple wildlife species. Unlike B. anthracis, which can lead to non-lethal infections, Bcbva demonstrates a near-uniform fatality rate, as evidenced by the absence of specific antibodies in most studied species, including red colobus monkeys, black-and-white colobus monkeys, sooty mangabeys, chimpanzees, and Maxwell's duikers. This finding underscores the severe virulence of Bcbva, contrasting with the milder outcomes typically associated with anthrax caused by B. anthracis. The study employed long-term carcass monitoring and serological analysis to assess antibody prevalence, providing critical insights into the pathogenicity of this emerging threat in sub-Saharan African rainforests.

Zimmermann, F., Köhler, S. M., Nowak, K., Dupke, S., Barduhn, A., Düx, A., Lang, A., De Nys, H. M., Gogarten, J. F., Grunow, R., Couacy-Hymann, E., Wittig, R. M., Klee, S. R., & Leendertz, F. H. (2017). Low antibody prevalence against Bacillus cereus biovar anthracis in Taï National Park, Côte d’Ivoire, indicates high rate of lethal infections in wildlife. PLOS Neglected Tropical Diseases, 11(9), e0005960. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pntd.0005960