Revisiting the Status of Yellow Fever Epizootics and Its Surveillance in South America: New Non-Human Primates, Spillover and Ecological Drivers
Abstract
1. Introduction
2. YF Virus Overview
3. YF in NHPs
4. Clinical Findings in New and Old World NHPs
5. Epizootics in the Last Decade
6. Genomic Surveillance of YF in the Context of Epizootics
7. Importance of One Health Surveillance in YF Virus and NHPs
8. Prevention Mechanisms of the YF Virus in NHP
9. Surveillance and Response Protocols for Suspected YF in NHP
10. Limitations
11. Conclusions
Author Contributions
Funding
Institutional Review Board Statement
Informed Consent Statement
Data Availability Statement
Acknowledgments
Conflicts of Interest
References
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| Genus of the Non-Human Primate | Common Name | Distribution | Susceptibility to the YF Virus | Lethality in Epizootics | Epidemiological Role |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alouatta | Howler Monkey | Central America and much of South America | Very high | Very high (often >80%) | Key Sentinel and Amplifying Host |
| Sapajus | Robust Capuchin Jumpsuit | Brazil, Paraguay, Bolivia, Northern Argentina | Moderate | Moderate | Occasional amplifying host, sentinel |
| Cebus | Graceful Capuchin Monkey | Amazon and the tropical regions of South America | Moderate | Low to moderate | Secondary amplifier and sentinel |
| Saimiri | Squirrel Monkey | Amazonia (Brazil, Colombia, Peru, Bolivia, Venezuela) | Low to moderate | Generally low | Possible amp host with subclinical infections |
| Aotus | Night jumpsuit or night monkey | Amazon and the tropical regions of South America | Variable/poorly documented | Low | Possible Incidental Host |
| Callithrix | Tití or marmoset | Brazil (mainly Southeast and Central) | Moderate | Moderate | Sentinel in urban-wild shoots in Brazil |
| Feature | Primates of the New World | Primates of the Old World |
|---|---|---|
| Clinical Findings (General) | Marked lethargy, progressive weakness, noticeable decrease in activity, anorexia, dehydration, and rapid deterioration of general condition; In many epizootic episodes, animals are found dead in the forest with no obvious previous signs due to rapid clinical evolution. | They frequently present subclinical infection or mild symptoms; Occasionally, lethargy, mild fever, temporary reduction in activity, and slight anorexia are observed, although many individuals remain asymptomatic and continue with apparently normal behavior. |
| Manifestations of severe illness | High susceptibility in species such as Alouatta and some Atelidae, mainly, the disease can progress rapidly, with elevated viremia, visible jaundice, severe prostration, extreme weakness, and, in some cases, neurological signs such as tremors or disorientation. | Severe disease is rare under natural conditions; however, some species may develop systemic disease in experimental infections, with fever, moderate liver involvement, and transient clinical signs. |
| Complications | Extensive hepatocellular necrosis, acute hepatic failure, internal bleeding, metabolic abnormalities, and multiorgan dysfunction; These complications are associated with high mortality rates during epizootics in highly susceptible primate populations. | Clinical complications are rare in natural populations; when they do occur, they can include moderate liver involvement, systemic inflammation, or transient febrile illness, usually with lower mortality and a higher chance of recovery. |
| AL1 | AL2 | N | AL1 | AL2 | N | AL1 | AL2 | N |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Goias | Abadia De Goias | 2 | Sao Paulo | Luis Antonio | 6 | La Paz | Abel Iturralde | 1 |
| Firminopolis | 1 | Mairipora | 2 | Nor Yungas | 1 | |||
| Goiania | 2 | Osasco | 1 | Total | 2 | |||
| Guapo | 1 | Pedra Bela | 3 | Total Bolivia | 2 | |||
| Total | 6 | Pinhalzinho | 2 | Aragua | Camatagua | 55 | ||
| Minas Gerais | Albertina | 1 | Pitangueiras | 2 | Zamora | 11 | ||
| Baependi | 1 | Ribeirao Preto | 39 | San Casimiro | 2 | |||
| Belo Horizonte | 1 | Salto | 1 | San Sebastian | 4 | |||
| Bueno Brandao | 2 | Santa Rita do Passa Quatro | 1 | Jose Felix Ribas | 1 | |||
| Camanducaia | 1 | Santo Antonio Do Pinhal | 1 | Santos Michelena | 1 | |||
| Corrego do Bom Jesus | 1 | Serra Azul | 1 | Total | 74 | |||
| Delfim Moreira | 1 | Serra Negra | 2 | Guarico | Juan German Roscio | 8 | ||
| Estiva | 2 | Socorro | 1 | Ortiz | 1 | |||
| Extrema | 1 | Valinhos | 7 | San Geronimo de Guayabal | 2 | |||
| Ipuiuna | 4 | Total | 87 | Total | 11 | |||
| Paraisopolis | 1 | Tocantins | Palmas | 4 | Portuguesa | Araure | 1 | |
| Poco Fundo | 1 | Total | 4 | Guanarito | 2 | |||
| Pocos De Caldas | 1 | Total Brazil | 124 | Ospino | 1 | |||
| Ponte Nova | 1 | Huila | Aipe | 2 | San Genaro de Boconoito | 2 | ||
| Santa Rita De Caldas | 1 | Neiva | 2 | Total | 6 | |||
| Sapucai-Mirim | 2 | Palermo | 4 | Apure | Munoz | 1 | ||
| Toledo | 1 | Total | 8 | Paez | 4 | |||
| Virginia | 2 | Meta | Villavicencio | 1 | Total | 5 | ||
| Total | 25 | Total | 1 | Barinas | Alberto Arvelo Torrealba | 1 | ||
| Roraima | Alto Alegre | 2 | Putumayo | Mocoa | 6 | Sosa | 1 | |
| Total | 2 | Orito | 2 | Total | 2 | |||
| Sao Paulo | Amparo | 2 | Total | 8 | Carabobo | Carlos Arvelo | 2 | |
| Atibaia | 1 | Tolima | Ataco | 10 | Total | 2 | ||
| Braganca Paulista | 2 | Chaparral | 19 | Cojedes | Girardot | 1 | ||
| Cacapava | 1 | Cunday | 9 | Pao de San Juan Bautista | 2 | |||
| Campinas | 3 | Planadas | 6 | Ezequiel Zamora | 2 | |||
| Colina | 1 | Prado | 3 | Lima Blanco | 2 | |||
| Cravinhos | 1 | Purificacion | 1 | Total | 7 | |||
| Descalvado | 1 | Rioblanco | 4 | Lara | Simon Planas | 1 | ||
| Guarulhos | 1 | San Antonio | 5 | Total | 1 | |||
| Itatiba | 1 | Villarrica | 3 | Monagas | Maturin | 1 | ||
| Joanopolis | 3 | Total | 60 | Total | 1 | |||
| Louveira | 1 | Total Colombia | 77 | Total Venezuela | 109 | |||
| Total South America | 312 | |||||||
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Bonilla-Aldana, D.K.; Bonilla-Aldana, J.L.; Zambrano, L.; Rodriguez-Morales, A.J. Revisiting the Status of Yellow Fever Epizootics and Its Surveillance in South America: New Non-Human Primates, Spillover and Ecological Drivers. Pathogens 2026, 15, 412. https://doi.org/10.3390/pathogens15040412
Bonilla-Aldana DK, Bonilla-Aldana JL, Zambrano L, Rodriguez-Morales AJ. Revisiting the Status of Yellow Fever Epizootics and Its Surveillance in South America: New Non-Human Primates, Spillover and Ecological Drivers. Pathogens. 2026; 15(4):412. https://doi.org/10.3390/pathogens15040412
Chicago/Turabian StyleBonilla-Aldana, D. Katterine, Jorge Luis Bonilla-Aldana, Lysien Zambrano, and Alfonso J. Rodriguez-Morales. 2026. "Revisiting the Status of Yellow Fever Epizootics and Its Surveillance in South America: New Non-Human Primates, Spillover and Ecological Drivers" Pathogens 15, no. 4: 412. https://doi.org/10.3390/pathogens15040412
APA StyleBonilla-Aldana, D. K., Bonilla-Aldana, J. L., Zambrano, L., & Rodriguez-Morales, A. J. (2026). Revisiting the Status of Yellow Fever Epizootics and Its Surveillance in South America: New Non-Human Primates, Spillover and Ecological Drivers. Pathogens, 15(4), 412. https://doi.org/10.3390/pathogens15040412

