Download Zoo primates from Australia, Canada, the European Union, USA and Singapore - Final import risk analysis (April 2011)

The commodity definition for this import risk analysis is confined to 19 species of nonhuman primates from zoos in Australia, Canada, the EU, the USA and Singapore. It specifies that primates to be imported must be clinically healthy and originate from premises under veterinary supervision and not from what the OIE's Terrestrial Animal Health Code calls "an uncontrolled environment". The specification that the premises of origin must be under veterinary supervision is important in that it minimises the risk associated with a number of diseases potentially carried by the primates. The commodity definition explicitly excludes primates which have been caught in the wild.

Fifty nine disease pathogens or groups of pathogens are considered to be of potential concern and could be introduced in imported primates. Pathogens not occurring in any of the countries to which this risk analysis applies and pathogens not associated with any of the 19 species covered by this risk analysis were eliminated from this list.

The reduced list of pathogens, termed the "preliminary hazard list", contains ten viruses, three bacteria, internal metazoan parasites (trematodes, cestodes, nematodes and acanthocephalans), external arthropod pests (fleas, lice, insect agents of myiasis, ticks and mites). Each of these is subjected to a full risk assessment. Options for the effective management of the risks are given for the following which are assessed to be a risk in the commodity; Hepatitis B virus, rabies virus, tuberculosis (Mycobacterium tuberculosis and M. bovis), enteric bacteria, helminth parasites, lice, ticks, mites, and weed seeds.