Spontaneous listeriosis in grey mouse lemurs (Microcebus murinus), but not in Goodman's mouse lemurs (Microcebus lehilahytsara) of the same colony

Abstract

Listeriosis is a zoonotic infection with the gram positive, facultative intracellular bacterium Listeria (L.) monocytogenes. Infections mainly occur in ruminants, but also in other species, including humans. Case fatality rate usually is high. The incidence of listeriosis in captive non-human primates is very low. We report the first spontaneous, fatal, and likely food-born outbreak of listeriosis in a population of captive grey mouse lemurs (Microcebus murinus). Conspicuously, none of the closely related Goodman's mouse lemurs (Microcebus lehilahytsara) in the same facility were affected.

Keywords: Animal facility; Listeria monocytogenes; Listeriosis; Microcebus murinus; Mouse lemur; Non-human primate; Outbreak; Pathology.