San Diego: The cough among the western lowland gorillas in the San Diego Zoo Safari Park was the first warning sign. The fears were soon confirmed: a herd of gorillas became the first monkeys known to test positive for the coronavirus. Around the world, many scientists and veterinarians are now rushing to protect animals from the world coronavirus, who often use the same playbook to minimize the spread of disease among humans: it includes social distance, health checks and, for some zoo animals, a vaccine.
Karen, a 28-year-old orangutan, became the first monkey in the world to have a coronavirus vaccine on Jan. 26 at the San Diego Zoo. Karen received two shots of a vaccine from Zoetis, a veterinary pharmaceutical company in New Jersey, and showed no adverse reactions. Since then, nine other primates in the San Diego Zoo have been completely vaccinated: five bonobos and four orangutans. Four more animals – one bonobo and three gorillas – received their first shot this month and a second one in April.
“I was really convinced we wanted to get it to protect our other great apes,” said Nadine Lamberski, the zoo’s wildlife health officer.
That virus outbreak was linked to a zoo that was infected but had no symptoms. Seven gorillas recovered from a mild sniff, but one elderly silverback had pneumonia, probably caused by the virus, as well as heart disease. He was put on antibiotics and heart medication, and received an antibody treatment to prevent the virus from infecting cells.
About three dozen zoos across the United States and abroad have ordered the Zoetis vaccine, which has been formulated to elicit a strong immune response in certain animal species.
“We will have the chance to get the Zoetis vaccine for our own monkeys,” said Alex Herman, veterinary director at Oakland Zoo, who ordered 100 doses.
Zoetis obtained a permit from the U.S. Department of Agriculture to supply the doses to the San Diego Zoo on an experimental basis. The company must apply for the same permission to supply vaccine to additional zoos.
Scientists believe that the coronavirus probably originated in wild horseshoe bats, before they – perhaps through an intermediary – jumped to man. Now, many researchers are concerned that humans may unknowingly infect other susceptible species.
Source: Telangana Today