Inguinal Hernia in Nonhuman Primates: From Asymptomatic to Life-Threatening Events.

In this study, a review of available data and literature on the epidemiology and anamnesis of inguinal hernias in nonhuman primates, as well as on their clinical evaluation and surgical management, was conducted. Inguinal hernias are assumed to be relatively common in male nonhuman primates. Clinical signs are usually limited to a visible or palpable mass in the groin region without pain or systemic illness. Most hernias contain omentum. Careful monitoring is an acceptable treatment option for those animals. Size, the danger of incarceration, and the presence of strangulation are important factors when considering surgical repair. A strangulated inguinal hernia is an emergency, requiring prompt surgery to avoid tissue necrosis and death. Imaging techniques, as well as computed tomography (CT), ultrasonography, and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), provide information about the anatomical characteristics of the suspected region, allowing for a diagnosis and treatment. An inguinal hernia repair can be performed with either open surgery or laparoscopic surgery. The hernia repair can be achieved by mesh or suture. Decisions regarding which repair technique to use depend on the surgeon's skill level and preference. Complication and recurrence rates are generally low. The most common postsurgical complication is a recurrence of the hernia. Contraceptive measures are not indicated in breeders, as there is no known hereditary component, and the presence of hernia does not appear to affect fertility, nor does it predispose to occurrence, recurrence, or incarceration.

Naturally Occurring Endocrine Disorders in Non-Human Primates: A Comprehensive Review.

Literature concerning veterinary medicine of non-human primates is continuously updated, yet endocrine disorders remain underreported. While case or survey reports of individual endocrinopathies are available, a comprehensive review is not. An exhaustive literature search on this subject via widely used academic search systems, (e.g., Google Scholar, PubMed, BioOne complete and Web of Science), and peer-reviewed publications, proceedings, and newsletters was performed. Selected major endocrine entities will be described with emphasis on clinical signs, morphologic appearances, concomitant diseases, as well as available treatment options. Mostly, no clinical signs were noted and on gross pathology, the endocrine organs were unremarkable. An endocrine-related diagnosis was frequently made as an incidental finding after standard histopathological examination. During the review, the pancreas represented the most affected endocrine organ and diabetes mellitus represented the most clinically significant disorder. Currently, no standard procedure for diagnosing, monitoring, or treating endocrine disorders in non-human primates exists.

A Non-Human Primate Model of Severe Pneumococcal Pneumonia.

RATIONALE: Streptococcus pneumoniae is the leading cause of community-acquired pneumonia and infectious death in adults worldwide. A non-human primate model is needed to study the molecular mechanisms that underlie the development of severe pneumonia, identify diagnostic tools, explore potential therapeutic targets, and test clinical interventions during pneumococcal pneumonia. OBJECTIVE: To develop a non-human primate model of pneumococcal pneumonia. METHODS: Seven adult baboons (Papio cynocephalus) were surgically tethered to a continuous monitoring system that recorded heart rate, temperature, and electrocardiography. Animals were inoculated with 109 colony-forming units of S. pneumoniae using bronchoscopy. Three baboons were rescued with intravenous ampicillin therapy. Pneumonia was diagnosed using lung ultrasonography and ex vivo confirmation by histopathology and immunodetection of pneumococcal capsule. Organ failure, using serum biomarkers and quantification of bacteremia, was assessed daily. RESULTS: Challenged animals developed signs and symptoms of pneumonia 4 days after infection. Infection was characterized by the presence of cough, tachypnea, dyspnea, tachycardia and fever. All animals developed leukocytosis and bacteremia 24 hours after infection. A severe inflammatory reaction was detected by elevation of serum cytokines, including Interleukin (IL)1Ra, IL-6, and IL-8, after infection. Lung ultrasonography precisely detected the lobes with pneumonia that were later confirmed by pathological analysis. Lung pathology positively correlated with disease severity. Antimicrobial therapy rapidly reversed symptomology and reduced serum cytokines. CONCLUSIONS: We have developed a novel animal model for severe pneumococcal pneumonia that mimics the clinical presentation, inflammatory response, and infection kinetics seen in humans. This is a novel model to test vaccines and treatments, measure biomarkers to diagnose pneumonia, and predict outcomes.

Immunogenicity and protective efficacy of a recombinant subunit West Nile virus vaccine in rhesus monkeys.

The immunogenicity and protective efficacy of a recombinant subunit West Nile virus (WNV) vaccine was evaluated in rhesus macaques (Macaca mulatta). The vaccine consisted of a recombinant envelope (E) protein truncated at the C-terminal end, resulting in a polypeptide containing 80% of the N-terminal amino acids of the native WNV protein (WN-80E), mixed with an adjuvant (GPI-0100). WN-80E was produced in a Drosophila melanogaster expression system with high yield and purified by immunoaffinity chromatography using a monoclonal antibody specific for flavivirus E proteins. Groups of monkeys were vaccinated with formulations containing 1 or 25 microg of WN-80E antigen, and both humoral and cellular immunity were assessed after vaccination. The results demonstrated potent antibody responses to vaccination, as determined by both enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and virus-neutralizing antibody assays. All vaccinated animals responded favorably, and there was little difference in response between animals immunized with 1 or 25 microg of WN-80E. Cellular immunity was determined by lymphocyte proliferation and cytokine production assays using peripheral blood mononuclear cells from vaccinated animals stimulated in vitro with WN-80E. Cell-mediated immune responses varied from animal to animal within each group. About half of the animals responded with lymphoproliferation, cytokine production, or both. Again, there was little difference in response between animals immunized with a 1- or 25-microg dose of WN-80E in the vaccine formulations. In a separate experiment, groups of monkeys were immunized with the WN-80E/GPI-0100 vaccine or an adjuvant-only control formulation. Animals were then challenged by inoculation of wild-type WNV, and the level of viremia in each animal was monitored daily for 10 days. The results showed that whereas all animals in the control group had detectable viremia for at least 3 days after challenge, all of the vaccinated animals were negative on all days after challenge. Thus, the WN-80E vaccine was 100% efficacious in protecting monkeys against infection with WNV.

Spontaneous neoplasia in the baboon (Papio spp.).

BACKGROUND: There are several comprehensive reviews of spontaneous neoplasia in non-human primates that compile individual cases or small numbers of cases, but do not provide statistical analysis of tumor incidence, demographics, or epidemiology. METHODS: This paper reports all spontaneous neoplasms (n = 363) diagnosed over a 15-year period in a baboon colony with an average annual colony population of 4000. RESULTS: A total of 363 spontaneous neoplasms were diagnosed in 313 baboons: 77 cases were males (25%) and 236 were females (75%); ages ranged from 1 month to 33 years (mean 16.5, median 17). CONCLUSIONS: The organ systems affected in descending order of number of neoplasms were hematopoietic organs (n = 101, 28%), urogenital tract (n = 78, 21%), integument (n = 43, 12%), alimentary tract (n = 43, 12%), endocrine organs (n = 40, 11%), nervous system (n = 33, 9%), musculoskeletal system (n = 5, 1%), and respiratory system (n = 4, 1%). Malignant cases numbered 171 (47%); 192 (53%) cases were benign.