Talk about ironic. Wild chimpanzees may end up in more danger from the Ebola virus because of cuts in research intended to protect their captive fellows.

An outbreak of deadly Ebola virus in west Africa has so far killed 174 people, and this week more cases were confirmed in Sierra Leone, including another death. Other species besides humans are also at risk: deep in the nearby forest many gorillas and chimps could also be dying of the virus. Both species are endangered, and Ebola could push them even closer to extinction.

This strain of Ebola has been spreading since 1995, killing thousands of gorillas and chimps. There is now hope: on Monday researchers announced that an experimental Ebola vaccine for chimps is safe and induces a strong immune response. The vaccine, based on a surface protein from the Ebola virus, had already been shown to protect monkeys.

But there is a new problem, says Peter Walsh of the University of Cambridge, who led the work. We need to refine the vaccine and test ways to get it into wild chimps, but such tests may not happen.


Cannot be tested

The US is the only country that permits biomedical research on chimps. But the National Institutes of Health has already decided to retire all but 50 of its lab chimps. Then last year, after a campaign by the Humane Society of the US, the US Fish and Wildlife Service proposed including captive chimps in their wild cousins’ endangered classification – effectively ending such research unless it is for the chimps’ benefit.

In theory, Walsh’s work ought to fit the bill. But in practice he expects labs to close their chimp facilities due to lack of demand.

If biomedical studies on chimps do come to an end, it could stymie research on the Ebola vaccine. In the long run, Walsh says a live, oral vaccine should be possible, and would be easier to give to wild apes. But it must be tested carefully to convince conservation agencies that it is safe – and that means lab tests.

Otherwise, wild chimps could be obliterated by Ebola. “This will be a conservation catastrophe,” says Walsh.

Journal reference: PNAS, DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1316902111