First outbreak of Callitrichid Hepatitis in Germany.

A member of the Lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus family is making its presence felt among primates in Germany. Recently, Germany witnessed her first ever outbreak of callitrichid hepatitis. Transmitted by rodents, the disease is fatal to primates of the new world. A German zoo recently witnessed the death of three pygmy marmosets (Cebuella pygmaea) and one Goeldi's monkey (Callimico goeldii) in less than a year.

It appears that the most likely mode of transmission of infection was wild mice. Asper et al at the Institut fur Tropenmedizin in Hamburg have noted that characteristic histopathological lesions in liver, brain, and lymphoid tissue were seen in all the affected animals. The researchers also observed that the virus sequences from all callitrichids and a captured mouse were > or =99.2% identical. However, Asper and coworkers have also noted that there was a significant difference in genetic and phylogenetic characteristics of the present strain from known LCMV strains, including the earlier identified CH-associated strain.

This first report of outbreak of Callitrichid hepatitis in Germany should caution all zoo vets and game wardens in Germany to be forewarned about the disease and try to implement preventive measures like ensuring that the monkey premises are well sealed and remain free of burrowing wild rodents.

Reference for further reading:
Virology 2001 Jun 5;284(2):203-13. First outbreak of callitrichid hepatitis in Germany: genetic characterization of the causative lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus strains. Asper M, Hofmann P, Osmann C, Funk J, Metzger C, Bruns M, Kaup FJ, Schmitz H, Gunther S. Bernhard-Nocht-Institut fur Tropenmedizin, Hamburg, Germany.