Implications of Tourist–Macaque Interactions for Disease Transmission

Bibliographic Data

ID19527592
AuthorsCharlotte Carne (University of Roehampton), Stuart Semple (0000-0001-6461-6814, University of Roehampton), A Maclarnon (0000-0003-2722-4998, University of Roehampton), B Majolo (0000-0002-0235-3040, University of Lincoln), Laëtitia Maréchal (0000-0003-3499-9134, University of Lincoln, corresponding author)
Year2017
Volume14
Issue4
Pages704-717
Publication date2017-12-01
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueEcoHealth (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 1612-9202 • E-ISSN: 1612-9210
PublisherSpringer Science and Business Media LLC (PUBLISHER)
DOI10.1007/s10393-017-1284-3
PMID29150827
OpenAlexW2769742398
LanguageEN
Citations received4
References cited58

During wildlife tourism, proximity or actual contact between people and animals may lead to a significant risk of anthropozoonotic disease transmission. In this paper, we use social network analysis, disease simulation modelling and data on animal health and behaviour to investigate such risks at a site in Morocco, where tourists come to see wild Barbary macaques (Macaca sylvanus). Measures of individual macaques' network centrality-an index of the strength and distribution of their social relationships and thus potentially their ability to spread disease-did not show clear and consistent relationships with their time spent in close proximity to, or rate of interacting with, tourists. Disease simulation modelling indicated that while higher-ranked animals had a significantly greater ability to spread disease within the group, in absolute terms there was little difference in the size of outbreaks that different individuals were predicted to cause. We observed a high rate of physical contact and close proximity between humans and macaques, including during three periods when the macaques were coughing and sneezing heavily, highlighting the potential risk of disease transmission. We recommend that general disease prevention strategies, such as those aimed at reducing opportunities for contact between tourists and macaques, should be adopted

Animal ecology · Biology · Centrality · Disease · Disease transmission · Environmental health · Geography · Macaque · Outbreak · Pathology · Public health · Statistics · Wildlife · Wildlife disease · Animal Disease Management and Epidemiology · Computer Science · COVID-19 epidemiological studies · Demography · Medicine · Zoonotic diseases and public health · Ecology · Virology

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