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Fungal communities in Macaca fascicularis and Macaca nemestrina associates with forest matrix types in West Malaysia


Journal of Microbiology & Experimentation
Farah Shafawati Mohd-Taib,1 Siti Najwa Ahmad,1 Wan Syaidatul Aqma,2 Frankie Thomas Sitam3

Abstract

Genetic and geographical proximity between Macaca fascicularis, Macaca namestrina and humans are posing a dangerous threat in terms of disease transmission to humans. The objective is to determine the fungal species in actively shedding anatomical sites of these macaques inhabiting forest fragment of different matrix types in Kemasul Forest Reserve, Pahang State, Malaysia. Matrix of Chemomoi (CM) had higher coverage of acacia (Acacia mangium), whereas JambuRias (JR) encompassed oil palm plantation. Swab samples were obtained from throat, anus and penis/vagina of three individual of macaques from each species and geographic location (N=12). The swabs were then streaked onto Potato Dextrose Agar plate containing 25 mg/ml chloramphenicol to obtain pure colony. The isolated fungal species were identified morphologically, and molecular identification was carried out in some of the isolates. The results reveal 18 fungal species from 10 genera identified, with JR showing 13 species compared to CM with only 7 species, but significant difference was observed between fungal distribution in different geographical locations and macaques species (p<0.05). Fungal species from both macaque species were higher in JR compared to CM but no significant difference in different anatomical sites.The most common fungi species found in JR is Aspergillus fumigatus, as it was found in all anatomical sites of both macaques but it was absent from samples in CM. Only two fungi species shared between both geographic locations which are A. ruber and A. flavus. This study reveals potential risk to both human-macaque, thus relocating the human settlements adjacent to the forests and proper waste management system are essential.

Keywords

actively shedding fungi, macaques, forest plantations, Malaysia

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