Studies on argyrophilic nucleolar organizer regions (AgNORs) in a spontaneous mammary gland ductal carcinoma of a captive rhesus monkey.

A spontaneous mammary gland ductal carcinoma was diagnosed in a 13-year-old female captive rhesus monkey (Macaca mulatta). The expression of argyrophilic nucleolar organizer regions (AgNORs) was studied to investigate the correlation between the histologic invasiveness and cell proliferation activity assay for predicting the biologic behavior of this tumor type. The results of this study show that the AgNOR size in tumor cells reflect the degree of malignancy when compared with the pattern of peripheral blood lymphocytes of the same individual. This is the first study showing a significant AgNOR feature of a malignant breast tumor in a rhesus monkey and it longs to provide additional diagnostic tool in tumor pathology.

Identification of fungi microflora in the ear conducts of rhesus macaques (Macaca mulatta) kept in captivity

Inúmeros fatores predisponentes podem acarretar doenças auriculares a partir de uma microbiota saprófita. A identificação da microbiota fúngica poderia auxiliar no diagnóstico e tratamento de micoses que possam se tornar patogênicas mediante um desequilíbrio homeostásico. Este trabalho objetivou identificar a microbiota fúngica saprófita no conduto auditivo médio de macacos rhesus (Macaca mulatta) clinicamente saudáveis, destinados à pesquisa biomédica. Quarenta macacos rhesus foram divididos em dois grupos. O grupo I foi formado por animais adultos, alojados em gaiolas individuais localizadas em containeres especiais de experimentação com temperatura e umidade controladas. O grupo II, originado da colônia de criação, foi formado por animais jovens, mantidos em ambientes livres, sem controle de temperatura e umidade. O cerúmen do conduto auditivo médio dos animais foi coletado através de swabs. A semeadura das amostras foi feita em placas de Petri contendo Agar Sabouraud com cloranfenicol 1 , lacradas com fita adesiva e incubadas à temperatura ambiente. Nos 20 animais do grupo I, foi encontrado o seguinte: Aspergillus (80), Candida (60), Cladosporium (5) e Rhochtorula (5). O grupo II apresentou uma diversidade maior de fungos: Cândida sp. (95), Aspergillus (20), Clachsporium sp. (60), Penicillium sp. (30), Rodotorulla sp., (15), Trychophytum verrucosum (5), Epidermophyton flocosum (5) e Scopulariopsis sp. (5). Estes dados serão úteis nos diagnósticos e tratamentos de otites e sugerem que os fatores climáticos podem ser responsáveis pelo grande número de fungos presentes nos animais do grupo II, que se encontram expostos às condições climáticas naturais.

Biologic data of Macaca mulatta, Macaca fascicularis, and Saimiri sciureus used for research at the Fiocruz primate center.

Physiological parameters of laboratory animals used for biomedical research is crucial for following several experimental procedures. With the intent to establish baseline biologic parameters for non-human primates held in closed colonies, hematological and morphometric data of captive monkeys were determined. Data of clinically healthy rhesus macaques (Macaca mulatta), cynomolgus monkeys (Macaca fascicularis), and squirrel monkeys (Saimiri sciureus) were collected over a period of five years. Animals were separated according to sex and divided into five age groups. Hematological data were compared with those in the literature by Student's t test. Discrepancies with significance levels of 0.1, 1 or 5% were found in the hematological studies. Growth curves showed that the sexual dimorphism of rhesus monkeys appeared at an age of four years. In earlier ages, the differences between sexes could not be distinguished (p < 0.05). Sexual dimorphism in both squirrel monkeys and cynomolgus monkeys occurred at an age of about 32 months. Data presented in this paper could be useful for comparative studies using primates under similar conditions.

Biologic data of Macaca mulatta, Macaca fascicularis, and Saimiri sciureusused for research at the fiocruz primate center

Physiological parameters of laboratory animals used for biomedical research is crucial for following several experimental procedures. With the intent to establish baseline biologic parameters for non-human primates held in closed colonies, hematological and morphometric data of captive monkeys were determined. Data of clinically healthy rhesus macaques (Macaca mulatta), cynomolgus monkeys (Macaca fascicularis), and squirrel monkeys (Saimiri sciureus) were collected over a period of five years. Animals were separated according to sex and divided into five age groups. Hematological data were compared with those in the literature by Student's t test. Discrepancies with significance levels of 0.1, 1 or 5 percent were found in the hematological studies. Growth curves showed that the sexual dimorphism of rhesus monkeys appeared at an age of four years. In earlier ages, the differences between sexes could not be distinguished (p < 0.05). Sexual dimorphism in both squirrel monkeys and cynomolgus monkeys occurred at an age of about 32 months. Data presented in this paper could be useful for comparative studies using primates under similar conditions.