Zoonotic diseases: Why Covid-19 isn’t just a human concern

Riley Forson
Apr 27, 2020
5 min read

Introduction:

This week, Ape Alliance united a panel of conservationists, veterinarians and wildlife ecologists to discuss zoonotic diseases, including the globally devastating Covid-19. The messages were clear: firstly, Covid-19 is not just a human health concern, secondly, its knock on effects will have considerable impacts on conservation and charitable efforts and, finally, that the world has to change its relationship with nature to prevent the increase in zoonotic diseases which will devastate human and animal populations.

Zoonotic diseases: What is a zoonotic disease?

A zoonotic disease, or zoonoses, is a disease which can be transmitted from an animal, or insect, to a human-being. Dependent on the type of disease, the animals may become ill or they may not. Zoonotic diseases can be spread in a variety of ways, such as direct and indirect contact with animals, eating contaminated animal products, or drinking contaminated water. The Centre for Disease Control and Prevention states that scientists estimate that 6/10 of known infectious diseases in people can be spread from animals, whilst 3/4 of new or emerging infectious diseases in people, like Covid-19, come from animals[1].

Zoonotic diseases are not a new phenomenon, they have sporadically appeared across history; for example, the plague was a zoonotic disease affecting rodents which was transmitted by fleas to other animals and to humans[2]. However, the time between what Dr Jim Desmond, from Liberia Chimpanzee Rescue & Protection and EcoHealth Alliance, referred to as ‘spill over events’, where the disease jumps from animal to humans, has been shortening.

When the panelists were asked why this could be, they all agreed that it was due to greater human encroachment on animal habitats through one form or another, be it commercial hunting to tourism. They all were united in their concern for what this could mean for Great Apes.

Covid-19 is a concern for humans and primates:

Our panelists explained that due to Great Apes, being Chimpanzees, Bonobos, Orang-utans and Gorillas, having the same ACE2 variation of twelve point receptors as humans, which Covid-19 can attach to, means that Covid-19 could also impact the Great Apes[3]. It would not be inconceivable that this could be the reality we are facing with this zoonotic disease. Dr Jim Desmond’s orphaned chimpanzees at Liberia Chimpanzee Rescue & Protection, as shown on the BBC documentary, were struck down by the common cold leaving them with runny noses and coughs[4]. Professor Vernon Reynold’s of Budongo Field Conservation Station, explained one of his field study groups were impacted by respiratory diseases due to it being spread to them from their close proximity with human neighbours. Dr Jo Thompson explained the impact of Ebola, a zoonotic disease, on the Bonobo population she studies in the DRC, Dr Jim Desmond echoed this experience in Liberia. Finally, a paper,Lethal Respiratory Disease Associated With Human Rhinovirus C in Wild Chimpanzees, explains how Chimpanzees in Uganda were afflicted by Rhinovirus brought in by human contact[5]. The paper explains that as humans and chimpanzees have high genetic similarity, they are susceptible to pathogen exchange of zoonotic diseases.

The likelihood, therefore, is that Great Apes could be struck down with Covid-19. Covid-19’s true danger lies in its highly contagious nature and its progression from an upper respiratory to a lower respiratory infection, which can be fatal.

The dangers to Great Apes are numerous if they can catch Covid-19 as both Ian Redmond O.B.E and Dr Ian Singleton explained. Those that become ill will become more susceptible to predation. If key family figures, such as silverback male gorillas, die from the disease their young will be killed by their successor to prevent any succession disputes. But most importantly, all of the Great Apes are endangered or critically endangered, particularly the Orang-utan, as Dr Ian Singleton explained to us from Indonesia. Orang-utan numbers are incredibly low and the number of deaths in New York City per day could wipe out the entire Orang-utan population in days.

So whilst Covid-19 is a disease with devastating human impacts, which are certainly not to be downplayed or diminished, the reality is that this disease is also a very real concern for the animal kingdom too.

Crippling times for charities and conservation:

Dr Gladys Kalema-Zikusoka explained that the gorillas which she helps to conserve in Bwindi via Conservation Through Public Health have 8 tourist groups, on average, per day visit them in their forest homes; this is about 30-40,000 tourists a year! This helps to fund their conservation projects which keep the gorillas safe. Unfortunately, this tourism has ceased due to Covid-19. Similarly, Dr Ian Singleton explained that he has forecast that his Orang-utans will lose around £800,000 in charitable donations due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Tourism and charitable donations for these charities are absolutely essential to be able to continue their conservation efforts.

So now, more than ever, charities are having to think outside of the box to be able to generate the funds they so desperately require. One example of this ingenuity is virtual eco-tourism, as can be seen from Vecotourismand Internet of Elephants .imilarly, the coffee which Dr Glady’s foundation sells is available to export around the world[6],which can help not only the gorillas and their conservation, but also the local communities which co-habit with our Great Apes.

Ape Alliance has provided a link for any readers who want to donate to the charities of the speakers (listed below), this can be done via this link: https://www.facebook.com/4apes/. All funds will go to Liberia Chimpanzee Rescue & Protection and then will be equally apportioned between the charities.

One Health for one world:

Our speakers were all agreed that the increasing cross over between humans and animals in so many varying forms has increased the rate at which new zoonotic diseases reach their ‘spill overs’. However, they were also agreed that we can change this via collective thinking and action. Dr Jim Desmond explained that after the Ebola outbreak in Liberia, a social and cultural shift due to the One Health concept has generated positive change. One Health is a concept that human health and animal health are interdependent and bound to the health of the ecosystems in which they exist[7]. “It involves applying a coordinated, collaborative, multidisciplinary and cross-sectoral approach to address potential or existing risks that originate at the animal-human-ecosystems interface”[8]. If we start to take greater care of our environments and ecosystems, as well as the animals within them, the prevalence of zoonotic disease spill overs, should in theory, decline as our collective health is rebalanced. Now, as the world experiences Covid-19 together, may be the time for a paradigm shift in our collective consciousness towards our health, the health of our animals and the health of our environment. Then, and only then, can we protect animals and humans from the devastating impacts of zoonotic diseases like Covid-19.

Acknowledgements:

With special thanks to Ape Alliance and Iona Haynes for hosting the talk which inspired this article, as well as the panel of speakers:

-Dr Gladys Kalema-Zikusoka: Conservation Through Public Health

-Professor Vernon Reynolds: Budongo Conservation Field Station

-Dr Johannes Refisch

-Dr Jo Thompson: Lukuru Foundation

-Dr Jimmy Desmond: Liberia Chimpanzee Rescue and Protection

-Ian Redmond OBE

-Dr Ian Singleton: Sumatran Orangutan Conservation Programme