A refined technique for feeding newborn rhesus macaques (Macaca mulatta).

Nursery-reared infant rhesus macaques (Macaca mulatta) have a relatively high risk of aspiration pneumonia because they are typically fed using kitten bottles or syringes or by gavage. These feeding techniques also have the disadvantage of making it difficult to determine how much formula an infant actually consumes. To address these concerns, the authors developed a refined feeding device for infant macaques. Use of this device resulted in no cases of aspiration pneumonia or other feeding-related health complications. The authors conclude that the refined device is a safe and effective way to feed infant macaques.

Camptomelia in a rhesus macaque (Macaca mulatta).

An 8.5-mo-old female rhesus macaque was examined for an apparent lump on the right arm, below the elbow. The macaque showed no signs of pain or discomfort. Examination revealed that the lump was actually a bend in the forearm. Radiography demonstrated that some of the long bones of the animal were bowed. Differential diagnoses included rickets, hyperparathyroidism, pseudohyperparathyroidism, and a growth dysplasia. No other similar abnormalities in animals from that cage or any other enclosure in our large colony were observed. Blood chemistries and a complete hemogram were within normal limits for a macaque of this age. Serum was submitted for a vitamin D profile that included assays for parathyroid hormone, 25-hydroxyvitamin D, and ionized calcium. Serum samples from sex- and age-matched normal controls were sent for comparison and to establish a baseline profile. The affected animal had vitamin D levels comparable to unaffected controls. Bone biopsies appeared normal for a macaque of this age. Fluorine levels in the drinking water supply were within acceptable limits. Consistent with the information available, a diagnosis of idiopathic camptomelia, or bowing of the long bones, was made. In humans, developmental camptomelia is associated with several bone dysplasias in infants and children. These conditions are thought to be caused by genetic mutations in enzymes or transcription factors that control development of the epiphyses and are almost always associated with other lethal and nonlethal developmental abnormalities.

Macaca fascicularis papillomavirus type 1: a non-human primate betapapillomavirus causing rapidly progressive hand and foot papillomatosis.

Papillomaviruses (PVs) are a group of small, non-enveloped DNA viruses that cause mucosal or cutaneous neoplasia in a variety of animals. Whilst most papillomas will regress spontaneously, some may persist or undergo malignant transformation. In this study, aggressive, persistent and extensive warts were observed on the hands and feet of a cynomolgus macaque (Macaca fascicularis). The presence of PV in the wart biopsies was identified by immunohistochemistry and PCR amplification of PV DNA. The genomic DNA of this PV was cloned and sequenced, and the PV was designated M. fascicularis papillomavirus type 1 (MfPV-1). Its genome was 7588 bp in length and the organization of its putative open reading frames (E1, E2, E6, E7, L1, L2 and E4) was similar to that of other PVs. MfPV-1 had a short non-coding region (NCR) of 412 bp. Molecular analysis of MfPV-1 genomic DNA classified it into the genus Betapapillomavirus, to which all epidermodysplasia verruciformis (EV)-type PVs belong. Diseases caused by PVs of the genus Betapapillomavirus are usually associated with natural or iatrogenic immunosuppression. The genomic characterization performed in this study showed that MfPV-1 clustered within the genus Betapapillomavirus and also contained EV-type-specific motifs in its NCR. Further characterization of this virus and its host interactions may allow us to develop a non-human primate model for human betapapillomaviruses, a genus populated by human PV types causing EV.

Effects of maternal and infant characteristics on birth weight and gestation length in a colony of rhesus macaques (Macaca mulatta).

A retrospective study using maternal and birth statistics from an open, captive rhesus macaque colony was done to determine the effects of parity, exposure to simian retrovirus (SRV), housing, maternal parity, and maternal birth weight on infant birth weight, viability and gestation length. Retrospective colony statistics for a 23-y period indicated that birth weight, but not gestation length, differed between genders. Adjusted mean birth weights were higher in nonviable infants. Mothers positive for SRV had shorter gestations, but SRV exposure did not affect neonatal birth weights or viability. Infants born in cages had longer gestations than did those born in pens, but neither birth weight nor viability differed between these groups. Maternal birth weight did not correlate with infant birth weight but positively correlated with gestation length. Parity was correlated with birth weight and decreased viability. Increased parity of the mother was associated with higher birth weight of the infant. A transgenerational trend toward increasing birth weight was noted. The birth statistics of this colony were consistent with those of other macaque colonies. Unlike findings for humans, maternal birth weight had little predictive value for infant outcomes in rhesus macaques. Nonviable rhesus infants had higher birth weights, unlike their human counterparts, perhaps due to gestational diabetes occurring in a sedentary caged population. Similar to the situation for humans, multiparity had a protective effect on infant viability in rhesus macaques.

Evaluation of a portable clinical analyzer in cynomolgus Macaques (Macaca fasicularis).

The aim of this study was to evaluate the clinical performance of a portable analyzer for use in cynomolgus monkeys (Macaca fasicularis). During semiannual health screening, blood samples from 23 animals were analyzed by both the portable clinical analyzer and the institutional comparative pathology laboratory. Portable clinical analyzers have been evaluated for use in other species, but the suitability for macaques has not yet been determined. Results for glucose, urea (BUN), sodium, potassium, chloride, hematocrit, hemoglobin, and total CO2 were compared by overall t test, paired t test, and Pearson correlation. Only glucose and BUN did not differ in the overall t test between methods. Only potassium values did not differ in the paired t test. Compared with those from the portable analyzer, laboratory values were lower for glucose, hematocrit, hemoglobin, and total CO2 and higher for electrolytes and BUN. All values were within normal ranges for cynomolgus macaques which, in this study, were all apparently healthy, physiologically normal animals. We attributed differences between methods to sample type and handling and the physiologic changes in blood after collection. These results indicate that direct comparison of values obtained through different methods may not be valid, and normal ranges for point-of-care devices should be developed for each species.

Proactive compliance-the team program approach to revitalizing primate enrichment.

The Division of Laboratory Animal Resources (DLAR) at the University of Pittsburgh proactively instituted a nonhuman enrichment plan that is founded on the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Final Report on the Environmental Enhancement to Promote the Psychological Well-being of Nonhuman Primates (July 1999). This document is a draft policy of the USDA that has not yet been enacted. In anticipation of the these standards becoming policy, the DLAR, and our Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC), primate user groups, and Enrichment Specialist compared these new standards to our previous IACUC-approved plan. Our goal was to be "proactively compliant" to anticipated policy changes described in The Final Report. We established a program that was consistent with the five "critical" elements of The Final Report and our goal to have a revitalized enrichment plan that applied internal evaluation for continued improvement. A task force was implemented to review current literature and regulations on enrichment. Then a subcommittee consisting of veterinarians, investigators whose research would be affected by the anticipated policy changes, and IACUC members was formed. They established criteria for dispensation from plan elements, brought current protocols into compliance, shared enrichment and documentation techniques, and considered research methods in decision-making. In addition, a primate Enrichment Specialist position was developed and recruited. The Enrichment Specialist worked with investigators to evaluate enrichment and documentation needs and organized and implemented plan structure. The DLAR staff provided animal care and veterinary insight and reported to the IACUC. Investigators discussed how research and enrichment affected each other. The IACUC considered these issues before approving the plan. Our revitalized plan is running smoothly. The Enrichment Specialist oversees plan implementation and documentation. The DLAR assists enrichment and animal assessment. Investigators assist with assessment, provide enhanced enrichment, and document their progress. The IACUC addresses dispensation requests through designated review on the large-animal subcommittee.