Monkeys imported from Mauritius cause Tuberculosis outbreak in Michigan lab

PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals) has exposed a distressing revelation: Stressed-out monkeys imported into United States from Mauritius have carried a deadly disease transmissible to humans with them.

PETA cited documents to claim that several imported monkeys were found to be infected with tuberculosis (TB), a potentially fatal disease.

“The implications of this discovery are alarming and raise significant concerns about public health and the welfare of these animals,” it said.

it said the Northern Biomedical Research, located in Michigan, became the centre of attention when at least three monkeys tested positive for TB.

The state’s Department of Health and Human Services reported that two individuals working at the lab also tested positive for the disease.

PETA said the affected primates are long-tailed macaques, an endangered species, which were captured from their natural habitats in Mauritius.

The existence of a large monkey factory farm in Mauritius experiencing a tuberculosis outbreak suggests that numerous TB-affected monkeys have been exported to countries like the U.S., France, Spain, and the U.K.

PETA said it has swiftly responded to this distressing situation by contacting state veterinarians and public health officials in the U.S. They have urged the prohibition of monkey imports and the implementation of TB quarantines in facilities that have received monkeys in the past six months. PETA has also called on the CDC to permanently ban the importation of monkeys for laboratory use and to take responsibility for protecting public health.

Source: PETA