Splenic angioleiomyoma in an owl monkey (Aotus nancymae).

BACKGROUND: An adult male owl monkey (Aotus nancymae) underwent a splenectomy. When the spleen was removed, a small, nodular mass slightly bulging over the splenic surface was noted. METHODS: The mass was examined by light and transmission electron microscopy and by immunohistochemistry. RESULTS: On light microscopy, the mass was well-circumscribed, non-encapsulated, and composed of haphazardly arranged smooth muscle bundles admixed with numerous small capillary-like structures containing blood. Immunohistochemical (IHC) staining revealed the tumor was strongly positive for smooth muscle actin yielding vascular smooth muscle bundles, and for Factor VIII, staining endothelial cells within the smooth muscle bundles. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) showed a large portion of the cells to be atypical appearing smooth muscle and a few cells had structures resembling Weibel-Palade bodies indicating endothelial cells. CONCLUSIONS: Based on cell morphology, by light and TEM, and IHC a final diagnosis of splenic angioleiomyoma was made. This is, to our knowledge, the first report of an angioleiomyoma in a non-human primate.

Peripheral edema with hypoalbuminemia in a nonhuman primate infected with simian-human immunodeficiency virus: a case report.

A rhesus macaque (Macaca mulatta) infected with simian-human immunodeficiency virus (SHIV) while undergoing AIDS research, required a comprehensive physical examination when it presented with slight peripheral edema, hypoalbuminemia, and proteinuria. Many of the clinical findings were consistent with nephrotic syndrome, which is an indication of glomerular disease, but the possibility of concurrent disease needed to be considered because lentiviral induced immune deficiency disease manifests multiple clinical syndromes. The animal was euthanized when its condition deteriorated despite supportive care that included colloidal fluid therapy. Histopathology confirmed membranoproliferative glomerulonephritis, the result of immune complex deposition most likely due to chronic SHIV infection. Clinical symptoms associated with this histopathology in SHIV-infected macaques have not previously been described. Here we offer suggestions for the medical management of this condition, which entails inhibition of the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system and diet modifications.

Detection and clearance of Syphacia obvelata infection in Swiss Webster and athymic nude mice.

Our routine health-surveillance program is based on use of the Swiss Webster mouse, with sentinels submitted for testing every 7 weeks. Athymic nude (nu/nu) mice are used as an adjunct method to detect pinworm infections. The premise for the use of the nude mouse was based on research that revealed the thymus as necessary to confer resistance to pinworm infections. In light of this finding, it was inferred that an athymic mouse would be more susceptible to pinworm infections than a euthymic mouse, and hence a better sentinel animal for pinworm detection. To test the validity of this assumption, the Syphacia obvelata detection ability of the athymic nude mouse was compared to that of the Swiss Webster. Our results indicate no significant temporal difference in the detection ability of the two genotypes of mice. A clearance study for the parasite was also performed, in which the majority of Swiss Webster mice cleared the infection whereas athymic nude mice did not. In light of our results, we conclude that use of the athymic nude mouse for Syphacia obvelata detection offered no significant advantage over the euthymic Swiss Webster mouse for our program.