Kristy Ashby

Summary of Scientific article

DETECTION OF TT VIRUS AMONG CHIMPANZEES IN THE WILD USING A
NONINVASIVE TECHNIQUE
BIOL1615
Professor: Jack Later
Tuesday 9:00 a.m.

Kristy Ashby

Title: Detection of TT Virus Among Chimpanzees in the Wild Using a

Noninvasive Technique
Introduction: In recent years there has been an increase in threat to
primate species becoming endangered. One of the biggest reasons is
because of human encroachment. This type of encroachment has many
different levels of contact; from building close to where the primates live, to
hunting in the same areas. There has been a rise in zoonotic events (a
disease of animals, such as rabies or psittacosis, that can be transmitted to
humans) which is causing the spread of the TT virus.
Reason for research: The main reason for this study is to determine if
human contact is the reason why Chimpanzees are getting the TT virus. The
TT virus is only one of many infectious diseases they are finding more often
in Chimpanzees. The TT virus is a single-stranded, enveloped DNA virus with
a circular genome. Parts of the virus particles are excreted into the bile and
then they shed in feces of infected individuals. They did part of the study on
a free-ranging population and another part of the study they used captive
primates. In earlier studies they used a few domesticated animals such as
sheep, chickens and pigs and they were hoping to find similar findings in how
the TT virus was being passed. They wanted to see if zoonotic transmission
of TTV between humans and nonhumans primates of both free-ranging and
captive origin within varying degree of human interaction.

Method & Material: In this study they used fecal samples. They received
samples from all over the world, from multiple varieties of Chimpanzees.
They used ones that lived in the wild, ones that had been in natural
preserves and habitats and ones that were raised in captive. Viral nucleic
acids were extracted from fecal samples. All of the samples were stored in
RNA later storage buffer, in Texas. They were stored in Falcon tubes
containing silica beads. They used sterilizing apparatus and changing gloves
between each sample to prevent cross contamination.
Results: The results for finding the TT virus DNA was found in 7 samples
from two free-ranging chimpanzee communities (100% of the Sonso
community of the Budongo Forest Reserve and 80% of CC2). However, the
11 samples that were taken from the CC1 showed no TTV DNA and the 18
samples representing seven new-world species, also revealed no sign of TTV
infection. Those found in the Sonso community were only found when using a
primer set B. There seems to be a change that occurs in the sequence in one
of the two 39 primers of set C, because they all came back negative for the
TTV. Another analyses of the data showed a cluster strongly with the human
TTV strains. As well as a strain found in the captive chimpanzee.
Discussion: Through this study they found that viruses in free-ranging
primate populations can be found by using a noninvasive approach and that
these free-ranging chimpanzee communities can harbor the TTV. They also
found that the variety of the chimpanzee greatly differs from one group to

other. That certain strains of the TTV were easily transmitted from and to
humans and others were not. The results do not allow an assessment of the
transmission of the strain of TTV in free-ranging African primate populations,
but confirms that the virus is present among those of both West and East
Africa. They werent able to determine if the strain is genuinely specific to
nonhuman primates either. They have found that there are multiple strains of
the virus that are now showing up. They did find a lower amount of TTV in
the UK chimpanzee and human population. But this might have something to
do with the fact that the chimps in the UK have been captive breed for
several generations. They also suggest that the TTV may still be present in
all of the chimps in the UK, but that it is simply a different strain.
Conclusion: The more humans interact with Chimpanzees and other
primates with the TTV the more likely we are to get it. Our population keeps
increasing and we are continually encroaching on the habitats of these freeranging primates. Because this study used the noninvasive method it is a
good way to continue with further study and research. None of the animals
are harmed. The best thing they can work on at the moment is to discover
the unidentifiable strains of the TTV. It will help to further the research in
multiple areas.

Journal of Wildlife Dieases, 40(2), 2004 pp.230-237

Wildlife Disease Association 2004

Detection of TT Virus Among Chimpanzees in the Wild using a Noninvasive Technique

Oliver E. Barnett, Michael Worobey, Edward C. Holmes, and Alan Cooper