An outbreak of tuberculosis at a zoo in Madagascar has killed several endangered primates, including several species of lemurs that had never been infected with TB.

Recently, eight black and white collared lemurs, one coronation lemur and one Mare Island mongoose died at the government-run Simbazaza Zoo and Botanical Garden (PBZT) in Madagascar's capital Antananarivo, all presumed to be infected with tuberculosis.

Scientists from the Pasteur Institute in Madagascar, supported by members of the International Union for Conservation of Nature, have confirmed the presence of Mycobacterium tuberculosis in the tissues of some of the dead animals.

Malagasy primatologist Jonah Ratsimbazafy said the zoo, which houses hundreds of animals in captivity, should be closed immediately but remains open to visitors for now.

The zoo not respond

Ratsimbazafy said it's possible that keepers or visitors brought TB with them because the disease has never been found in wild lemurs. Tuberculosis is common in Madagascar's population, and in 2019, a pet ring-tailed lemur was found to have contracted the disease.

Ratsimbazafy said the Simbazaza Zoo and Botanical Garden has about a dozen species of lemurs, and the outbreak saw the first cases of black and white collared lemurs, coronary lemurs and Mare Island mongooses infected. The IUCN lists collared lemurs and coronation lemurs as critically endangered, while the island mongoose is listed as vulnerable to extinction.

It is unclear whether these animals can transmit the disease to each other or to humans," Ratsimbazafy said. We know that humans can transmit tuberculosis to lemurs and suspect that these animals contracted tuberculosis from humans with whom they are or were in close contact."

Marni LaFleur, He was part of a team that studied the pet lemur's illness last year, and the case was written up in a paper. Zoo visitors often post photos of them holding and feeding lemurs on Instagram, she said.

Unless the zoo is closed, Ratsimbazafy said, staff and animals could transmit TB to visitors. He said the zoo lacks the ability to control the highly contagious disease and must work with national and international veterinarians and medical experts to stop it from spreading.

Ratsimbazafy said, "Controlling the spread of TB at the Simbazazar Zoo and Botanical Gardens may require euthanizing some animals." He strongly recommends against capturing lemurs from the wild to serve as "replacements" for lemurs that may have been euthanized or have died.