Survey of Infections Transmissible Between Baboons and Humans, Cape Town, South Africa

Abstract

Baboons on South Africa’s Cape Peninsula come in frequent contact with humans. To determine potential health risks for both species, we screened 27 baboons from 5 troops for 10 infections. Most (56%) baboons had antibodies reactive or cross-reactive to human viruses. Spatial overlap between these species poses low but potential health risks.

Keywords

• animals
• wild
• communicable diseases
• infection
• Papio ursinus
• public health