The susceptibility of langurs (Presbytis entellus and Presbytis cristata) and grivets (Cercopithecus aethiops) to plague infection was investigated. Langurs were more susceptible than grivets and were all uniformly infected. Sixteen of 18 P. entellus succumbed in three to 10 days to a fatal infective dose of 810–810,000 viable plague cells. All 10 P. cristata, infected sc with 81–810,000 viable cells, died within three to eight days. Eight of these 10 animals remained afebrile during the evolution of the disease; the factor(s) responsible, however, have not been explored. Eleven of 14 grivets succumbed to infective doses of 209–2,090,000 living cells of the pathogen within three to 29 days. One of four failed to become infected by 209 organisms, judging from serologic observations. Two animals from each of two groups infected with 20,900 and 209,000 organisms, respectively, survived, apparently because of individual inherent genetic resistance. Autopsy findings all resembled those of human plague. Antibody responses were demonstrable in the animals surviving infection.
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Chen et al. (1974) studied this question.