Comparative Med
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Case Reports
Anisocoria and middle cerebral artery saccular (berry) aneurysm in a rhesus macaque (Macaca mulatta).
A 27-year-old female rhesus macaque (Macaca mulatta) developed anisocoria. The left pupil was dilated and unresponsive to light. The macaque was euthanized because of unrelated reasons and the body was submitted for necropsy. ⋯ Only about 10% of unruptured aneurysms are associated with neurologic deficits related to mechanical compression, such as visual deficits or anisocoria. Meticulous investigation of the ocular vascular and neural pathways led us to conclude that the anisocoria was unrelated to the aneurysm. To our knowledge, this report represents the first documented case of a naturally occurring intracranial aneurysm in nonhuman primates.
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Although valuable information has been gained using a rodent partial hepatectomy model to assess liver regeneration, the ability to apply this research to humans remains uncertain. Thus, liver regeneration was assessed in a non-human primate, the rhesus macaque (Macaca mulatta). ⋯ Sixty percent partial hepatectomy in rhesus macaques appears to be an excellent model for the study of hepatocellular regeneration. The procedure was safe, and effectively induced liver regeneration. In addition, laparoscopic-guided liver biopsy allows observation of changes in the liver remnant as regeneration develops, and provides excellent tissue specimens for analysis. Thus, this rhesus macaque partial hepatectomy model will allow further characterization of liver regeneration in a species closer to humans.
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Cardiac and arterial responses to prescribed doses of propofol and etomidate in rhesus monkeys were compared. ⋯ The significant cardiovascular alterations associated with both agents were attributed to reductions in heart rate, although the possibility exists that negative inotropic effects may have had a role.
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Review Historical Article
Marburg and Ebola virus infections in laboratory non-human primates: a literature review.
Several non-human primate species are used as laboratory animals for various types of studies. Although importation of monkeys may introduce different diseases, special attention has recently been drawn to Marburg and Ebola viruses. This review presented here discusses the potential risk of these viruses for persons working with non-human primates as laboratory animals by focusing on epidemiology, virology, symptoms, pathogenesis, natural reservoir, transmission, quarantine of non-human primates, therapy, and prevention. ⋯ A total of 23 Marburg and Ebola virus outbreaks causing viral hemorrhagic fever has been reported among humans and monkeys since the first outbreak in Marburg, Germany in 1967. Most of the 1,100 human cases, with nearly 800 deaths, developed in Africa due mainly to direct and intimate contact with infected patients. Few human cases have developed after contact with non-human primates used for various scientific purposes. However, adequate quarantine should be applied to prevent human infections not only due to Marburg and Ebola viruses, but also to other infective agents. By following proper guidelines, the filovirus infection risk for people working with non-human primates during quarantine exists, but is minimal. There seems to be little risk for filovirus infections after an adequate quarantine period. Therefore, non-human primates can be used as laboratory animals, with little risk of filovirus infections, provided adequate precautions are taken.