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Through a collaborative “One Health” approach, a consortium of organizations and governments developed a phased plan for prevention and response, demonstrating a vital model for protecting other great ape populations from similar health crises. To date, no wild eastern gorilla has tested positive for SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19.

We studied worm infections (e.g. tapeworms) in gorillas across two regions and found that infections were higher in: 1) areas with more documented gastrointestinal diseases, and 2) in smaller gorilla groups. These differences were likely due to variations in gorilla social structure, vegetation, and population growth across habitats.

In a review of 103 infant deaths, this study revealed that the two leading causes of death were trauma and respiratory illness. Other key health issues included parasites and infection.

This study found that veterinary interventions could account for up to 40% of the difference in growth rates between habituated and unhabituated mountain gorillas. Demographic data gathered from 1967 – 2008 showed a positive increase of 4.1% for habituated gorillas and a decline of 0.7% for unhabituated gorillas.

This study was the first to identify the presence of a human-borne virus – human metapneumovirus (HMPV) – in two mountain gorillas that died of respiratory disease during a respiratory disease outbreak in 2009.

We discovered a new way to monitor diseases in endangered mountain gorillas by testing plants the gorillas have chewed and discarded. This method proved successful in detecting genetic material and viruses in plants without having to disturb gorillas or golden monkeys to collect the specimens.

A review of 18 respiratory outbreaks between 1990 and 2010 found that outbreaks varied in clinical signs and severity, and while most gorillas recovered naturally, 35 gorillas required interventions to treat severe, life-threatening illness.

While an HSV-1-like virus was suspected in wild gorillas, our population-wide survey of over 290 individuals found no evidence of human herpesvirus infections. Instead, we identified several gorilla-specific herpesviruses – GbbCMV-1 and 2, GbbLCV-1, and a new GbbRHV-1 – that share characteristics with human herpesviruses.

In a rare case, a 30-year-old female mountain gorilla developed a cancerous growth around her mouth, diagnosed as malignant melanoma, a serious type of skin cancer. Despite surgical removal, the tumor returned, and the gorilla passed away. Post-mortem examination revealed the cancer had spread to her lymph nodes, lungs, liver, and kidneys.

We investigated the digestive health of 60 deceased wild mountain gorillas, finding that mild gut inflammation and parasites were common, and severe gastrointestinal infections caused 8% of deaths. Other fatalities linked to the digestive system included a cleft palate, severe gum disease, and even stomach cancer.

Fecal samples collected from mountain gorillas with respiratory infections detected human respiratory syncytial virus (HRSV) in 12 of 20 samples. This study confirmed that pathogenic human respiratory viruses are transmitted to gorillas and repeatedly introduced into mountain gorilla populations from people.

This paper proposed “Great Ape Health Watch,” a standardized, real-time disease surveillance program across all ape habitats. This system would link disease outbreaks in both humans and apes, allowing veterinarians, health officials, conservation managers, and local communities to respond rapidly.

This study examined human blood samples collected between May 2017 and April 2018, before the 2018 Ebola virus outbreak began. Analysis found that 10% of samples had antibodies to Ebola, indicating previous exposure to the virus. This suggested that early cases went undetected or that individuals were exposed without developing severe illness. This study also found the first-ever documented human case of exposure to Bomboli virus, another type of Ebola virus previously found only in bats.

From 2010 to 2014, we tested samples from over 500 bats across 17 different bat species screening for 11 different virus families. The only viruses detected were coronaviruses, in 27 bats from eight bat species. These included some previously known bat coronaviruses, but we also discovered several new coronaviruses – important for understanding potential health risks for humans.