Treponematoses encompass a group of chronic and debilitating bacterial diseases transmitted sexually or by direct contact and attributed to Treponema pallidum. Despite being documented since as far back as 1963, the epidemiology of treponematoses in wild primates has remained an uninvestigated territory due to the inherent challenges associated with conducting examinations and obtaining invasive biological samples from wild animals. The primary aim of this study was to investigate the presence of treponemal infections in the critically endangered Western chimpanzees in Senegal, utilizing an innovative non-invasive stool serology method. We provide compelling evidence of the existence of anti-Treponema-specific antibodies in 13 out of 29 individual chimpanzees. Our study also underscores the significant potential of stool serology as a valuable non-invasive tool for monitoring and surveilling crucial emerging diseases in wild animals. We recognize two major implications: (1) the imperative need to assess the risks of treponematosis in Western chimpanzee populations and (2) the necessity to monitor and manage this disease following a holistic One Health approach.

Aix Marseille Univ IRD AP HM MEPHI Marseille France

Aix Marseille Univ IRD AP HM SSA VITROME Marseille France

Department of Biology Faculty of Medicine Masaryk University Kamenice Czech Republic

Department of Social Psychology and Quantitative Psychology University of Barcelona Barcelona Spain

IHU Méditerranée Infection Marseille France

Jane Goodall Institute Spain and Senegal Dindefelo Biological Station Dindefelo Kedougou Senegal

Serra Hunter Programme Generalitat de Catalunya Spain

Université Paris Cité CNRS INSERM Institut Necker Enfants Malades Paris France

VITROME Campus International UCAD IRD Dakar Senegal

ZooParc de Beauval Saint Aignan France

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