Gorillas Can Catch Human Colds and Other Illnesses

That runny nose you have? It could be deadly to a gorilla. Thanks to our remarkably similar genetic makeup—gorillas share about 98% of their DNA with humans—these magnificent primates are highly susceptible to the same respiratory illnesses that send us reaching for tissues and cough drops.

But here's where it gets serious: what causes you a few days of mild discomfort could kill a gorilla. Respiratory infections account for one-fifth of all sudden deaths among mountain gorillas in the wild.

Why Human Colds Hit Gorillas Harder

The same genetic similarities that make gorillas vulnerable to our pathogens also mean their immune systems react differently. A "common cold" virus that's been circulating in human populations for generations is a novel pathogen to gorillas. Their bodies haven't developed the same resistance we have.

Research on wild chimpanzees has identified the culprits behind most respiratory disease outbreaks: they're almost exclusively common pediatric human pathogens—the viruses making kids sick at daycare are the same ones threatening endangered apes in the wild.

Disease Spreads Like Wildfire

When a respiratory illness infiltrates a gorilla group, it moves with frightening speed. In one documented outbreak, it took just three days for 45 out of 46 group members to start coughing. The close social bonds and physical contact that define gorilla family life become disease superhighways.

Interestingly, these outbreaks tend to stay contained within a single group. The limited interaction between neighboring gorilla families prevents diseases from spreading through wider populations—nature's own social distancing.

The Tourist Dilemma

Gorilla tourism creates a dangerous paradox. Ecotourism generates crucial funding for conservation efforts, but every human visitor is a potential disease vector. Studies have shown that asymptomatic adults—people who feel perfectly fine—can carry respiratory pathogens into the forest and transmit them to apes.

This risk became especially apparent during the COVID-19 pandemic, when experts raised alarms about the potential catastrophic impact on great ape populations. Since then, conservation areas have implemented stricter protocols:

• Mandatory mask-wearing for all tourists and guides
• Minimum distance requirements between humans and gorillas
• Health screening before forest visits
• Limiting group sizes and visit durations

Beyond the Common Cold

While respiratory infections pose the most documented threat, gorillas can potentially contract other human illnesses too. Their genetic similarity to us makes them vulnerable to various bacterial and viral pathogens that cross the species barrier through close contact.

Human metapneumovirus, a virus that typically causes mild cold-like symptoms in people, demonstrated a 12.2% mortality rate in infected chimpanzee communities—a sobering reminder of how differently these diseases play out across species.

Conservation organizations have responded with initiatives like "Healthy Children, Healthy Apes," which aims to reduce respiratory pathogen circulation in communities near gorilla habitats through improved school infrastructure and health education. If fewer local children are sick, fewer asymptomatic adults will unknowingly carry viruses into the forest.

The next time you're fighting off a cold, consider this: that minor inconvenience in your life represents an existential threat to some of our closest evolutionary relatives. Protecting gorillas from human diseases isn't just about keeping them healthy—it's about ensuring these endangered species survive at all.