A twelfth monkey has died at a Hong Kong zoo, and tests are underway to determine whether it succumbed to the same bacterial infection that killed 11 other monkeys in the past 10 days.
Brazza's monkey had been isolated since October 13, when the first eight deaths were reported.
Autopsies revealed the presence of large amounts of septicemia-causing bacteria, which likely came from contaminated soil near the primate enclosures, authorities said.
Workers digging dirt near the primate cages may have introduced contaminated soil through their shoes, Hong Kong's Secretary of Culture, Sports and Tourism told local broadcaster RTHK.
The 11 monkeys found dead earlier include cotton-top tamarins, a critically endangered species, as well as white-faced sakis, common squirrel monkeys and a De Brazza's monkey.
Authorities said they died from melioidosis, an infectious disease that can spread through contact with contaminated soil, air or water.
It is caused by Burkholderia pseudomallei, a soil-dwelling bacterial strain endemic to tropical and subtropical regions.
“Similar lesions were also found in the organ tissues of the monkey who died today,” the Department of Recreation and Cultural Services said.
The state of health of the 78 mammals still present in the zoo is “normal”, adds the press release.
The zoo, which covers 14 hectares in the city center, has closed its mammal section since October 14 for disinfection and cleaning.
Jason Baker, vice president of animal rights group Peta, told Reuters last week that the deaths raised concerns about the risk of zoonotic diseases like monkeypox, which can spread from animals to humans.
“Monkeys in captivity are often exposed to pathogens that can be transmitted to humans, including tuberculosis, Chagas disease, cholera and MRSA,” Baker said.
The first report of melioidosis in Hong Kong was in 1975 and 1976, when 24 dolphins died suddenly from the disease at Ocean Park, a wildlife theme park.
