Diversity of <i>Campylobacter</i> spp. circulating in a rhesus macaque ( <i>Macaca mulatta</i> ) breeding colony using culture and molecular methods

Gastrointestinal disease is one of the most common reasons for hospitalization in non-human primate colonies and accounts for over one-third of non-research related euthanasia. In rhesus macaques, this manifests as both acute diarrhea and chronic enterocolitis (CE), a syndrome of chronic diarrhea resulting in poor weight gain or weight loss which is minimally responsive to treatment. <i>Campylobacter</i> spp. are major causes of acute enterocolitis in rhesus macaques and may predispose individuals to the development of CE, similar to post-infectious irritable bowel syndrome in humans. Despite these concerns, there are few studies characterizing <i>Campylobacter</i> in rhesus macaque colonies, in particular utilizing whole genome sequencing and assessing findings with respect to the health status of the host. Our findings provide insight into <i>Campylobacter</i> strains circulating in rhesus macaque colonies, which can improve clinical monitoring, assist in treatment decisions, and provide new avenues of investigation into campylobacteriosis as a catalyst for CE.