Evidence map›Paper›PMID 33536429›Full record

ArticleNature communications2021

A Sarcina bacterium linked to lethal disease in sanctuary chimpanzees in Sierra Leone.

Leah A Owens, Barbara Colitti, Ismail Hirji, Andrea Pizarro, Jenny E Jaffe, Sophie Moittié, Kimberly A Bishop-Lilly, Luis A Estrella, Logan J Voegtly, Jens H Kuhn and 5 more

Erratum issuedOpen access · goldAbstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Nature communications, 2021. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. An erratum has been issued. Cited by 19 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
19citing papers in PubMed
2.0field-weighted citation impact, top 12% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

19 citing papers in PubMed, 34 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Article
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  3. Distribution and prevalence ofJournal of medical microbiology · 2025
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  8. Bacterial community of ticks (Acari: Ixodidae) and mammals from Arauca, Colombian Orinoquia.International journal for parasitology. Parasites and wildlife · 2024
    Article
  9. Article
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  12. Journal of veterinary diagnostic investigation : official publication of the American Association of Veterinary Laboratory Diagnosticians, Inc · 2023
    Article
  13. Species and Strain Variability amongAnimals : an open access journal from MDPI · 2023
    Article
  14. Viruses in sanctuary chimpanzees across Africa.American journal of primatology · 2023
    Article
  15. Article
  16. Article
  17. Article
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  19. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

15 authors at 8 institutions in 5 countries.

Leah A OwensDepartment of Pathobiological Sciences, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-4232-3516
Barbara ColittiDepartment of Veterinary Science, University of Torino, Torino, Italy.
Ismail HirjiTacugama Chimpanzee Sanctuary, Freetown, Sierra Leone.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-4533-3867
Andrea PizarroTacugama Chimpanzee Sanctuary, Freetown, Sierra Leone.
Jenny E JaffeTai Chimpanzee Project, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Leipzig, Germany.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0001-6157-337X
Sophie MoittiéSchool of Veterinary Medicine and Sciences, University of Nottingham Sutton Bonington Campus, Sutton Bonington, Leicestershire, UK.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-7632-2458
Kimberly A Bishop-LillyGenomics and Bioinformatics Department, Biological Defense Research Directorate, Naval Medical Research Center, Fort Detrick, MD, USA.
Luis A EstrellaGenomics and Bioinformatics Department, Biological Defense Research Directorate, Naval Medical Research Center, Fort Detrick, MD, USA.
Logan J VoegtlyGenomics and Bioinformatics Department, Biological Defense Research Directorate, Naval Medical Research Center, Fort Detrick, MD, USA.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0003-0580-3702
Jens H KuhnIntegrated Research Facility at Fort Detrick, Division of Clinical Research, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Fort Detrick, MD, USA.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-7800-6045
Garret SuenDepartment of Bacteriology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-6170-711X
Courtney L DebloisDepartment of Bacteriology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA.
Christopher D DunnDepartment of Pathobiological Sciences, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA.
Carles Juan-SallésNoah's Path, Elche, Spain.
Tony L GoldbergDepartment of Pathobiological Sciences, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA. tony.goldberg@wisc.edu.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0003-3962-4913
University of Wisconsin–Madison · USNaval Medical Research Command · USLeidos (United States) · USNational Institutes of Health · USNoah's Path · ESRobert Koch Institute · DEUniversity of Nottingham · GBUniversity of Turin · IT

Funding

Parasitology and Vector Biology Training ProgramT32AI007414 · NIAID · UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN-MADISON · PI Lyric Colleen Bartholomay · 1992 to 2026
$4.5M
NIAID NIH HHS HHSN272200700016INIAID NIH HHS HHSN272201800013CNIAID NIH HHS T32 AI007414
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Human and animal infections with bacteria of the genus Sarcina (family Clostridiaceae) are associated with gastric dilation and emphysematous gastritis. However, the potential roles of sarcinae as commensals or pathogens remain unclear. Here, we investigate a lethal disease of unknown etiology that affects sanctuary chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes verus) in Sierra Leone. The disease, which we have named "epizootic neurologic and gastroenteric syndrome" (ENGS), is characterized by neurologic and gastrointestinal signs and results in death of the animals, even after medical treatment. Using a case-control study design, we show that ENGS is strongly associated with Sarcina infection. The microorganism is distinct from Sarcina ventriculi and other known members of its genus, based on bacterial morphology and growth characteristics. Whole-genome sequencing confirms this distinction and reveals the presence of genetic features that may account for the unusual virulence of the bacterium. Therefore, we propose that this organism be considered the representative of a new species, named "Candidatus Sarcina troglodytae". Our results suggest that a heretofore unrecognized complex of related sarcinae likely exists, some of which may be highly virulent. However, the potential role of "Ca. S. troglodytae" in the etiology of ENGS, alone or in combination with other factors, remains a topic for future research.

Indexed as

AnimalsApe DiseasesDNA, BacterialEmphysemaGastritisGram-Positive Bacterial InfectionsHumansPan troglodytesSarcinaSierra LeoneVirulenceWhole Genome SequencingDNA, Bacterial

Identifiers

PMID33536429
PMCPMC7859188
OpenAlexW3127082792

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.