An Outbreak of Yersinia enterocolitica in a Captive Colony of African Green Monkeys (Chlorocebus aethiops sabaeus) in the Caribbean

Yersinia enterocolitica is a zoonotic gram-negative pathogen that causes mesenteric lymphadenitis, terminal ileitis, acute gastroenteritis, and septicemia in domestic animals and primates. In 2012, 46 captive African green monkeys (Chlorocebus aethiops sabaeus) died during an outbreak of acutely fatal enteric disease over a period of 1 mo on the island of St Kitts. The affected monkeys presented with a history of mucohemorrhagic diarrhea, marked dehydration, and depression. Fifteen bacterial isolates were recovered from the spleen, liver, and lungs of affected monkeys. All isolates were identified as Y. enterocolitica by biochemical analysis and sequence comparison of the 16S rRNA gene. Phenotypic and genotypic analysis of the recovered isolates revealed homogeneity among the recovered bacteria, and all isolates gave a random amplified polymorphic DNA pattern resembling that given by genotype D under serotypes O:7,8. This outbreak represents the first isolation and characterization of Y. enterocolitica as the causative agent of fatal enteric disease in primates in the Caribbean.Abbreviations: RAPD, random amplified polymorphic DNA; rep-PCR, repetitive-sequence–mediated PCRMembers of the genus Yersinia are well-recognized human and animal pathogens. The plague, or black death, caused by Y. pestis, is recognized as one of the most devastating bacterial diseases in the history of mankind. The bacterium was responsible for millions of human mortalities during multiple pandemics.³⁷Y. pestis is a highly pathogenic clone that evolved from an ancestral Y. pseudotuberculosis strain 1500 to 20,000 y ago.¹ Conversely, yersiniosis (caused by Y. enterocolitica and less frequently by Y.pseudotuberculosis) is typically a self-limiting gastrointestinal disease of global concern, affecting human and animal populations.^16,28Y. enterocolitica is the causative agent of mesenteric lymphadenitis, terminal ileitis, acute gastroenteritis, and septicemia in domestic animals, nonhuman primates, and humans. The bacterium has a very wide host range and has been detected in more than 110 species of animals worldwide, including mammals, birds, and reptiles.^3,5,22,33 Infection with pathogenic strains of Y. enterocolitica occurs in all age groups, but clinical illness is more reported frequently in children and young adults, with asymptomatic infection being common in adults.²⁴ Latent infection by Y. enterocolitica occurs in free-living wild rodents, which excrete bacteria in their feces.^8,19 Contaminated food and water are common sources for the introduction of pathogens.¹⁴Y. enterocolita presents high antigenic variability. There are approximately 34 O antigen and 20 H antigen serogroups.¹⁶ In primates, serotypes O3, O5/27, and O9 have relatively low pathogenicity, mainly causing diarrhea, but serotype O8 is highly pathogenic and may cause septicemia.^15,29 Nonhuman primates appear to be quite susceptible to infection with Y. enterocolitica, and many fatal cases of yersiniosis have been reported worldwide.^3,5,20,29,35Here we describe the first reported case of Y. enterocolitica causing acute morbidity and mortality in captive African green monkeys (Chlorocebus aethiops sabaeus) in the Caribbean.