Study: Illegally Imported Bushmeat Contained Bacteria

Bushmeat illegally imported from Africa and seized at five top U.S. airports often contained potentially dangerous bacteria, according to a new study made public here.

The study led by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) was published by PLoS ONE magazine.

Items confiscated as part of the study included raw to semi-cooked animal parts, including those of primates like baboons and chimpanzees as well as various rodent species.

Among the pathogens identified in the products were a zoonotic retrovirus, simian foamy viruses, and several nonhuman primate herpesviruses.

"Exotic wildlife pets and bushmeat are Trojan horses that threaten humankind at sites where they are collected in the developing world as well as the U.S.," said Ian Lipkin, a researcher from Columbia University's Mailman School of Public Health.

"Our study underscores the importance of surveillance at ports, but we must also encourage efforts to reduce demand for products that drive the wildlife trade," he added.

The United States is one of the largest consumers of imported wildlife products and wildlife.

A previous study by EcoHealth Alliance showed that over a six-year period that began in 2000 approximately 1.5 billion live wild animals were legally imported into the country with 90 percent slated for the pet trade.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has also reported that more than 55 million pounds (25 million kilograms) of wildlife products enter the country each year, with New York City being the most common port of entry followed by Miami, and Los Angeles.