Infectious diseases: animals Also protects a contact restriction – Naturopathy naturopathy specialist portal

How useful a social distancing is?

Animals also benefit from distancing or a contact reduction, when it comes to protect against spreading diseases. This was in a recent study of Stummmelaffen clearly and shows how much sense the distance to other people in times of Corona can be.

The research team of Eva C. Wikberg, of the University of Texas at San Antonio has studied the influence of the interactions between social groups of colobus monkeys (Colobus vellerosus) have on the gut microbiome of the animals and also the findings on the effect of distancing to protect against the diseases won. The results of the study were published in the English journal “Animal Behaviour”.

How can the spread of germs be prevented?

Microorganisms that live in and on our body, both play for the preservation of our health as well as in the development of diseases has a crucial role. In the current study were evident, such as the micro-organisms between individuals, are passed on and what is the effect of physical distancing in this regard.

Investigation of wild monkeys

The researchers observed for their study, monkeys in the wild. So you wanted to understand, what is the role of genetics, diet, social groups, and distance in a social network play when it comes to the microbes that reside in the gut of an animal.

“The social Transmission of microbes among monkeys may help to inform us about how diseases spread. This has to understand the Parallel to our current Situation, we try to be as social distancing during the COVID-19 pandemic and future disease outbreaks can affect transmission,“ says Professor Eva Wikberg, of the University of Texas at San Antonio in a press release.

What is the role of our gut microbiome?

The gut microbiome refers to all the microorganisms that populate the digestive tract starting with the stomach and ending with the colon. In the last ten years, the Microbiome has moved more into the focus of science, because it is assumed that an unhealthy gut microbiome may lead to obesity, impaired immune function, weakened parasite resistance, and even to changes in behaviour.

Challenges in Microbiome research

The exploration of mikrobi omen is difficult, however, since the microbial composition of an individual varies to the individual. A long-asked question is, whether this Variation is due to genetic quality, nutrition or the social environment. Such research in wild populations is particularly difficult because of the lack of detailed data necessary to distinguish the myriad of factors that shape the Microbiome of each other.

Faeces of 45 female monkeys were studied

For their study, the researchers analyzed the feces of 45 female colobus monkeys, who gathered in eight different social groups in a small forest. The large differences between the intestinal mikrobi omen of the social groups could be found.

The transfer of gut microbes

Individuals from different groups, which were socially connected close to each other, had microbes are more similar to Bowel. This discovery indicates that microbes can be transmitted in the occasional encounters with members of other social groups, explain the researchers. Similarly, it would behave if people are, for example, in shops, in close proximity to other persons or accidentally someone else’s touch.

The study of wild animals can help to understand better the importance of social distancing in order to ensure in times of COVID-19 the safety of the society. (as)