Avoidance of Contaminated Food Correlates With Low Protozoan Infection in Bonobos

Intense selection pressure from parasites on free-living animals has resulted in behavioral adaptations that help potential hosts avoid sources of infection. In primates, such “behavioral immunity” is expressed different contexts and may vary according to the ecology host, nature infectious agent, individual itself. this study, we investigated whether avoidance contaminated food was associated with reduced parasite infection sanctuary-housed bonobos. To do this, used bonobos’ responses soil- fecally-contaminated experiments, then compared results an estimate protozoan across individuals. We found correlated negatively Balantioides coli infection, a potentially pathogenic transmitted through fecal-oral route. The association between parasitism were most evident experiments which subjects offered choice items falling along gradient fecal contamination. case more limited options high degree contamination, averse presented item have mitigated any relationship feeding decisions low perceived levels consumed previously items, also obscured relationship. immunity observed be consequence direct effects (infection), reflecting first scale landscape disgust: responses. Indirect parasites, as modulation social interactions—and their trade-offs physiological immunity—are discussed light fitness primate evolution. This study builds previous work by showing behaviors effective limiting exposure wide diversity oro-fecally parasites.