# Why Aren't Bonobos Plagued With STD's? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [March 19, 2004, 4:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-arent-bonobos-plagued-with-stds/235225 "2004-03-19T16:21:11Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Surreal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/eada6e/32.png) [@Surreal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Surreal)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2004, 4:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-arent-bonobos-plagued-with-stds/235225/1 "2004-03-19T16:21:11Z")
As I understand it, bonobos reportedly have the unique feature of being completely sexually indiscriminate; both the males and females copulate frequently with any other bonobo that is within reach. They will sometimes even form a ‘train’, whereby a group of males form a single-file line to mate with a female, with each male sticking his penis into her gaping, semen-encrusted vagina. Furthermore, it is believed that humans and bonobos split from a common ancestor between 6 and 8 million years ago, making them genetically very similar to humans. So one might assume that the diseases that could infect one species would also be able to infect the other. But if a human female were to participate in an unprotected ‘train’, giving it up for every guy willing to wait his turn in line, no doubt she would acquire some nasty sexually transmitted diseases. Gonorrhea, chlamydia, herpes, anal warts, HIV, crabs, scabies, molluscum contagiosum, syphilis, and perhaps others. Are bonobos and other promiscuous animals as plagued by STD’s as a human would be if they behaved in this manner? If not, how are they able to get away with it?? Thanks. ---
**Author:** ![Q.E.D](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/51bf81/32.png) [@Q.E.D](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.E.D)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2004, 4:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-arent-bonobos-plagued-with-stds/235225/2 "2004-03-19T16:29:55Z")
They probably are. But then, “plague” is an awfully strong word. Bear in mind that throughout most of human history, no attempt was made to curb the spread of STDs, yet these diseases didn’t run rampant through the population. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2004, 4:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-arent-bonobos-plagued-with-stds/235225/3 "2004-03-19T16:39:15Z")
> [@Surreal](#): > > Furthermore, it is believed that humans and bonobos split from a common ancestor between 6 and 8 million years ago, making them genetically very similar to humans. So one might assume that the diseases that could infect one species would also be able to infect the other. Bonobos and chimps are indeed suseptible to many human diseases, but note that HIV does not cause AIDS in chimps. ---
**Author:** ![Tapioca\_Dextrin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Tapioca\_Dextrin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tapioca_Dextrin)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2004, 4:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-arent-bonobos-plagued-with-stds/235225/4 "2004-03-19T16:41:56Z")
> [@Surreal](#): > > Are bonobos and other promiscuous animals as plagued by STD’s as a human would be if they behaved in this manner? If not, how are they able to get away with it?? Apparently, around two million years ago chimps were [nearly wiped out](http://www.thebody.com/cdc/news_updates_archive/aug30_02/chimps.html) by a disease similer to HIV. So they either live with the disease, or it kills them. ---
**Author:** ![Bromley](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/4da419/32.png) [@Bromley](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bromley)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2004, 5:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-arent-bonobos-plagued-with-stds/235225/5 "2004-03-19T17:45:51Z")
Also, and this is a WAG, bonobo groups probably don’t intermix to the extent that humans do. So syphilis would not be in Europe. Another related WAG is that there are more of us. So there’s been more chances that the diseases are passed on and don’t just die out. ---
**Author:** ![DevilDan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e495f1/32.png) [@DevilDan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DevilDan)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2004, 4:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-arent-bonobos-plagued-with-stds/235225/6 "2004-03-20T04:23:58Z")
My first WAG is what Bromley suggested, that there is little or no interbreeding between packs (“group”, “tribe”?). Thus, either the whole tribe dies off or they eventually reach an adjustment or develop immunity. My second WAG is that bonobos, however horny they may be, don’t go for the kinky interspecies mating, hence less chances of catching something from, say, farm animals. We humans are the champs for odd ways of getting off. ---
**Author:** ![netscape\_6](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/8c91f0/32.png) [@netscape\_6](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/netscape_6)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2004, 6:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-arent-bonobos-plagued-with-stds/235225/7 "2004-03-20T06:13:17Z")
My WAG is that they do get them. They’re just not as bad. In humans an STD has to stick around awhile to have a good chance of spreading. Where something like a cold will get passed on pretty quickly and do not need to stick around too long. My guess is Bonobo STDs are like a cold, the flu, or maybe strep throught. A bonobo gets but recovers quickly. ---
**Author:** ![labmonkey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f19dbf/32.png) [@labmonkey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/labmonkey)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2004, 3:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-arent-bonobos-plagued-with-stds/235225/8 "2004-03-20T15:54:09Z")
> [@Bromley](#): > > Another related WAG is that there are more of us. So there’s been more chances that the diseases are passed on and don’t just die out. Higher population size tends to equal higher virulence, in essence, the parasite can kill the host without losing its chance of being passsed on. ---
**Author:** ![ShibbOleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/848f3c/32.png) [@ShibbOleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ShibbOleth)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2004, 4:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-arent-bonobos-plagued-with-stds/235225/9 "2004-03-20T16:32:24Z")
> [@John Mace](#): > > Bonobos and chimps are indeed suseptible to many human diseases, but note that HIV does not cause AIDS in chimps. In Simians it’s called SIV, not HIV. They are apparently very similar, but not exactly the same virus (perhaps it mutated on the leap from Simians to Humans?) Here’s an [article in _The Scientist_](http://www.the-scientist.com/yr1999/august/research1_990830.html) (Note: requires free registration to read) on SHIV, which is an engineered cross of the two viruses. [/nitpick] ---
**Author:** ![Wumpus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/8c91f0/32.png) [@Wumpus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wumpus)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2004, 4:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-arent-bonobos-plagued-with-stds/235225/10 "2004-03-20T16:54:26Z")
“Bear in mind that throughout most of human history, no attempt was made to curb the spread of STDs, yet these diseases didn’t run rampant through the population.” Well they did, actually, but most STDs aren’t fatal (or, like syphilus, aren’t fatal enough to pose a major problem for the overall survival of the species.)