Seasonal Prevalence of Gastrointestinal Parasites in Macaques (Macaca thibetana) at Mount Emei Scenic Area in China

SIMPLE SUMMARY: Gastrointestinal parasites may affect the health of macaques directly or indirectly, thereby exposing primates to conservational risks. Gastrointestinal parasites cause various health conditions such as apathy, diarrhea, malaise and weight loss. However, there is still a dearth of knowledge about the population of intestinal parasites in the macaques kept in the Mount Emei scenic spot. Therefore, using the microscopic detection method, the population of gastrointestinal parasites in fecal samples of monkeys at the Mount Emei scenic spot was estimated. The results showed that Gongylonema spp. and Entamoeba spp. were dominant gastrointestinal parasites in the fecal samples of monkeys at the Mount Emei scenic spot. This is the first reported study on gastrointestinal parasites in monkeys at the Mount Emei Scenic and will help in designing a future road map for parasitic disease monitoring and control in wild-life habitats, as well as provide epidemiological data on parasites in monkeys in the Mt. Emei Scenic Area at Sichuan, China. ABSTRACT: The aim of the study was to elucidate the prevalence of intestinal parasites in macaques at the Mt. Emei Scenic Area of Sichuan, China. A total of 168 fecal samples were collected from yellow (n = 31), black (n = 19), new (n = 57), Leidongping (n = 57) and Wuxiangang (n = 4) macaques from 2019 to 2020. The fecal samples were tested for various gastrointestinal parasites following the microscopic detection method. The results showed that the total prevalence rate of the intestinal parasite was 51.19% (86/168), whereas the intestinal parasite with the highest prevalence was Gongylonema spp. (26.79%) for helminth and Entamoeba spp. (18.45%) for protozoa. Interestingly, the highest prevalence of intestinal parasites was observed during the summer season (86.21%), and the lowest was observed during the winter season (7.14%). There was a positive correlation observed between the human contact frequency and total prevalence rate of the intestinal parasites (p < 0.05); however, there was no correlation between the human contact frequency and total prevalence of the intestinal parasites at different seasons (p > 0.05). In conclusion, the dominant parasites Gongylonema spp. and Entamoeba spp. cause various diseases that may be transmitted to humans and other animals; therefore, there is a need for a proper management system, such as parasite control measures and population protection in the Mt. Emei Scenic Area of Sichuan, China.