人工饲养恒河猴、食蟹猴的繁殖性能初报

目的探索北京地区人工饲养恒河猴与食蟹猴的繁殖性能,为温带地区猕猴的人工饲养和繁殖方式提供借鉴。方法对军事医学科学院实验动物中心饲养的317只恒河猴繁殖群（30只雄猴,287只雌猴）和78只食蟹猴繁殖群（8只雄猴,70只雌猴）近两年的繁殖性状进行观察和统计分析。结果恒河猴母猴妊娠率、繁殖率和成活率分别为60.73%、54.45%和96.89%。食蟹猴母猴妊娠率、繁殖率和成活率分别为79.86%、56.12%和75.00%。结论食蟹猴和恒河猴可以成功的在温带地区饲养和繁殖,但人工饲养食蟹猴的妊娠率与产仔率较恒河猴高,而仔猴成活率则低于恒河猴。     

人工哺育期腹泻婴猴奇异变形杆菌的分离与鉴定

目的对一株人工哺育期引发恒河猴婴猴腹泻的奇异变形杆菌进行了鉴定,为实验猕猴疾病检测、鉴别诊断提供参考依据。方法通过培养特性、菌落形态、染色、生化试验和血清学诊断鉴别等检查,对分离菌株进行初步鉴定,同时,对分离菌株进行致病性试验及药敏试验。结果通过表型生物学特性鉴定,并结合血清学诊断鉴别方法,确证该分离菌株为奇异变形杆菌,应用药敏试验筛选出了高度敏感的抗菌药,控制了该病的继续发生,致病性试验证明,该分离菌株对小白鼠有高致病性。结论分离到的奇异变形杆菌是导致本次婴猴腹泻死亡的病原菌,该菌为条件致病菌,对实验猕猴和研究人员均有潜在的危害,尽管该菌不是国家标准要求排除的病原菌,但该菌引发的传染病将对动物实验造成严重影响,故应引起高度重视。     

恒河猴麻疹病的诊断与治疗

目的探索恒河猴麻疹病的诊断、治疗及防制方法。方法隔离病猴,采集猴血清,环境消毒,对病死猴进行病理学观察、抗体ELISA和病毒免疫组织化学检测,以及治疗。结果病猴被确诊为患猴麻疹,隔离发病猴3只,其中死亡1只,康复2只,未出现麻疹病的进一步扩大流行。采用头孢曲松钠、地塞米松、利巴韦林等治疗取得了显著治疗效果。结论预防是控制麻疹病的关键,运输及环境改变是致病的诱因,快速诊断、科学用药和综合防治是减少损失的关键。     

恒河猴五日热巴尔通体的分离和柠檬酸合成酶基因的序列分析

目的初步研究巴尔通体在恒河猴体内的存在情况,并分析其柠檬酸合成酶（gltA）的基因序列,判断巴尔通体的种属。方法 16只来自福建的恒河猴,用血琼脂培养基分离可能存在的巴尔通体。根据NCBI数据库上的巴尔通体gltA的基因序列,设计一对引物,以巴尔通体菌落为模板进行扩增,将获得的序列进行克隆测序。结果从3只恒河猴体内成功分离到了巴尔通体病原,并获得了巴尔通体gltA全长基因序列,测序结果表明该序列与五日热巴尔通体同源性99%。结论福建来源的恒河猴种群携带巴尔通体病原,巴尔通体流行地区可能存在鼠与灵长类动物之间病原体的流行和传播。     

Seroprevalence of B virus (Herpesvirus simiae) antibodies in a naturally formed group of rhesus macaques

Eighty-two percent of a group of rhesus monkeys removed from Cayo Santiago were seropositive for B virus (Herpesvirus simiae) antibodies. Similar results were obtained from the Cayo Santiago macaque population two decades ago and from feral Indian rhesus monkeys. Thus it is likely that B virus has been enzootic in the Cayo Santiago population since 1938, when the colony was established with stock imported from India.     

Simian immunodeficiency virus inhibits bone marrow hematopoietic progenitor cell growth.

The pathogenic mechanisms underlying the depressed hematopoietic functions seen in human immunodeficiency virus-infected individuals were explored in rhesus monkeys infected with the simian immunodeficiency virus of macaques (SIVmac). Bone marrow hematopoietic progenitor cell colony formation, both granulocyte/macrophage (CFU-GM) and erythrocyte (BFU-E), was shown to be decreased in number in SIVmac-infected rhesus monkeys. SIVmac was readily isolated from bone marrow cells of infected monkeys and was shown to be harbored in macrophages rather than T lymphocytes. The in vitro infection of normal bone marrow cells by SIVmac inhibited colony formation. A striking in vivo correlation between increased SIVmac load in bone marrow cells and decreased hematopoietic progenitor cell colony growth was also shown. Finally, inhibition of SIVmac replication in bone marrow macrophages resulted in increased progenitor cell colony growth from bone marrow cells. These results suggest that the infection of bone marrow macrophages by the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) virus may contribute to depressed bone marrow hematopoietic progenitor cell growth. Moreover, inhibition of AIDS virus replication in these macrophages might induce significant improvement in hematopoietic function.     

Gastrin levels and gastric emptying times in rhesus monkeys with a history of acute gastric dilatation

Abstract: Abnormal gastric motility has been suggested as a possible causative factor for acute gastric dilatation observed in nonhuman primates. To evaluate gastric motility in a colony, fasting serum gastrin immunoreactivity and gastric emptying times were assessed in rhesus monkeys that had survived single episodes of acute gastric dilatation. These were paired with age- and weight-matched control monkeys from the same colony. Neither gastric emptying times nor gastrin assays were significantly different between the acute gastric dilatation and control groups.     

Multidrug chemotherapy of tuberculosis in rhesus monkeys

Occurrence of tuberculosis caused by Mycobacterium bovis in a colony of rhesus monkeys allowed evaluation of a modern multidrug therapeutic regimen. Fifteen tuberculin positive rhesus monkeys with disseminated tuberculosis were evaluated for extent of disease by radiographic techniques, physical examination and laparotomy prior to treatment. Monkeys were divided into treatment groups of 3, 6 and 12 months duration and were treated once daily with isoniazid, rifampin and ethambutol. All animals survived their treatment course, had marked clinical improvement and rapid resolution of radiographically demonstrable lesions. Lesion regression evaluated by necropsy and histopathology correlated positively with length of treatment interval. Mycobacterium bovis was not isolated from any animal following treatment. Multidrug chemotherapy of tuberculosis was considered successful and practical in rhesus monkeys at the 12 month treatment interval. Chemotherapy may provide a reasonable alternative to destruction of valuable animals infected with tuberculosis.     

A herpesvirus of rhesus monkeys related to the human Kaposi's sarcoma-associated herpesvirus.

A herpesvirus that is related to but distinct from the Kaposi's sarcoma-associated herpesvirus (KSHV, or human herpesvirus 8) was isolated from rhesus monkeys. The sequence of 10.6 kbp from virion DNA revealed the presence of an interleukin-6 homolog similar to what is present in KSHV and a closer relatedness of the DNA polymerase and glycoprotein B reading frames to those of KSHV than to those of any other herpesvirus. This rhesus monkey herpesvirus replicated lytically and to high titers in cultured rhesus monkey fibroblasts. Antibody testing revealed a high prevalence for at least 10 years in our rhesus monkey colony and a high prevalence in two other colonies that were tested. Thus, rhesus monkeys naturally harbor a virus related to KSHV, which we have called RRV, for rhesus monkey rhadinovirus.     

Frequency of the major histocompatibility complex Mamu-A*01 allele in a closed breeding colony of rhesus monkey (Macaca mulatta) from Brazil

Background  Rhesus monkeys are relevant models for human diseases. The simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV) infection is an useful macaque model for assessing human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) vaccine strategies. Susceptibility and resistance to viruses have been associated with particular major histocompatibility complex (MHC) molecules. Several epitopes in the HIV structural and non-structural protein restricted by distinct MHC class I haplotypes are important targets for human cytotoxic T lymphocytes, which mediate protection against SIVmac infection. Mamu-A*01 , for example, is a MHC class I molecule of rhesus monkeys that presents a peptide from SIV gag protein.
Methods  Our study determined the frequency of Mamu-A*01 in a closed colony of rhesus monkeys from Brazil by polymerase chain reaction.
Results  A high frequency of the allele was found in the study colony.
Conclusion  This colony provides a significant source of A*01 -positive animals to investigators.     

Establishing a free-ranging breeding colony of rhesus monkeys. Part I.

The Caribbean Primate Research Center recently contracted with the Food and Drug Administration to establish a free-ranging island breeding colony of rhesus monkeys. The goal of the program is to produce 600 to 800 offspring yearly from 1,000 breeding age females. The initial colony stock will consist of approximately 360 animals from an existing colony that was established on an island off the southwestern coast of Puerto Rico in 1961. Expansion of the colony will be accomplished by the purchase and introduction of rhesus females obtained from the wild. The colony site, reproductive history, composition, and the methodology of our expansion plans are discussed. In addition, anticipated problems are identified and analyzed.     

Vitamin C deficiency in captive nonhuman primates fed commercial primate diet

Scurvy was diagnosed in 19 rhesus monkeys (Macaca mulatta) and four squirrel monkeys (Saimiri sciureus) from a colony of nonhuman primates maintained on a commercial diet. Signs of weakness, reluctance to move, gingival hemorrhage, bruising, proximal and distal metaphyseal fractures, weight loss and anemia appeared in juvenile and young adult rhesus monkeys over a 2 week period. Clinical signs subsided after 5 days of vitamin C therapy. At the same time, cephalohematomas and weakness developed in squirrel monkeys, which failed to respond to treatment. These cases were associated with manufacturer's admitted error in preparation of the commercially prepared monkey diet.     

Tetanus antibody titers and duration of immunity to clinical tetanus infections in free-ranging rhesus monkeys (Macaca mulatta)

Prior to 1985 tetanus was a major cause of mortality in the free-ranging colony of rhesus monkeys on Cayo Santiago, accounting for almost a quarter of annual deaths. In 1985 and 1986 all animals (except infants) received primary and booster doses, respectively, of tetanus toxoid. In subsequent years primary immunizations were given to all yearlings, and boosters were administered to all 2-year-old animals during the annual capture of the colony. The main objectives of the tetanus immunization program were to reduce the pain and suffering caused by tetanus infections and to decrease mortality in the colony. Other objectives were to evaluate the efficacy of the two-dose tetanus toxoid immunization protocol and to determine whether additional boosters might be required to provide adequate long-term protection against tetanus infections. The immediate effect of the mass immunization program was the elimination of clinical tetanus infections in the population and a 42.2% reduction in the overall mortality rate. Since the immunization program began, no cases of tetanus have been observed in the colony, except in two unimmunized infants, and it has not been necessary to give tertiary injections of tetanus toxoid to maintain protection against infection. A sample collected in 2004 of the original cohort of monkeys immunized in 1985 and 1986 showed that 93.3% (14/15) had protective tetanus antibody titers (>0.01 IU/ml) at the ages of 20-23 years, which is close to the life expectancy of the Cayo Santiago rhesus macaques. Two intramuscular doses of tetanus toxoid provided long-term, if not lifelong, protection against tetanus for rhesus monkeys living in a tropical clime where tetanus is enzootic and the risk of infection is great.     

Management of a harem breeding colony of rhesus monkeys to reduce trauma-related morbidity and mortality

A management procedure was developed for a harem breeding colony of rhesus monkeys to reduce trauma-related injuries and deaths resulting from the periodic removal of pregnant monkeys for research and their subsequent return to the population. Lower morbidity and mortality rates, a reduced mean conception interval, and a higher mean conception rate occurred when monkeys were maintained in permanent harems to which returning females were reintroduced compared to new social groups formed from aggregates of unfamiliar animals.     

Weights and heights of stump-tailed macaques (Macaca arctoides) living in colony groups.

Weights and heights of adults, week-old infants, and animals of intermediate ages were obtained from colony groups of stump-tailed macaques and are compared with similar measurements of rhesus, Japanese macaques, and other stump-tailed monkeys.     

Stereotypic and self-injurious behavior in rhesus macaques: a survey and retrospective analysis of environment and early experience

Abnormal behavior in captive rhesus monkeys can range from active whole-body and self-directed stereotypies to self-injurious behavior (SIB). Although abnormal behaviors are common in singly-housed rhesus monkeys, the type and frequency of these behaviors are highly variable across individual animals, and the factors influencing them are equally varied. The purpose of this investigation was to survey abnormal behavior in a large population of rhesus macaques, to characterize the relationship between stereotypies and self-injury, and to identify potential risk factors for these aberrant behaviors. Behavioral assessments of 362 individually housed rhesus monkeys were collected at the New England Regional Primate Research Center (NERPRC) and combined with colony records. Of the 362 animals surveyed, 321 exhibited at least one abnormal behavior (mean: 2.3, range: 1-8). The most common behavior was pacing. Sex differences were apparent, with males showing more abnormal behavior than females. SIB was also associated with stereotypies. Animals with a veterinary record of self-injury exhibited a greater number of self-directed stereotypies than those that did not self-injure. Housing and protocol conditions, such as individual housing at an early age, longer time housed individually, greater number of blood draws, and nursery rearing, were shown to be risk factors for abnormal behavior. Thus, many factors may influence the development and maintenance of abnormal behavior in captive primates. Some of these factors are intrinsic to the individual (e.g., sex effects), whereas others are related to colony management practices, rearing conditions, and research protocols.     

Absence of Naturally Acquired Tetanus Antitoxin in the Free-Ranging Cayo Santiago Rhesus Monkeys (Macaca mulatta)

Tetanus is enzootic in the free-ranging rhesus monkey colony on Cayo Santiago. The disease accounts for 25% of all mortalities in the population. The high prevalence of tetanus provided a unique opportunity to study the potential roles of geophagia, wounding, and clinical tetanus infections on the development of naturally acquired tetanus antitoxin in rhesus macaques. Eighty-six unvaccinated monkeys, including six that recovered from tetanus, were serosurveyed using a mouse toxin neutralization test. None of the animals had detectable antitoxin titers (<0.001 AU/ml), suggesting that natural immunity to tetanus is either rare or nonexistent in the Cayo Santiago colony.     

Behavioral responses of free-ranging rhesus monkeys to food shortage

During early July 1968, a severe food shortage occurred on Cayo Santiago, an island colony of free-ranging rhesus monkeys (Macaca mulatta). The food shortage produced striking changes in the behavior of the monkeys. Within the one social group intensively studied, the total frequencies of grooming, play and fights decreased significantly; the frequency of matings also dropped; body contact, displacements by other groups, and non-displacement movements decreased, but not in statistically significant amounts. Changes in the percentage of total grooming attributable to related and unrelated monkeys reflected the stability of the rhesus matriline. Comparisons made between Cayo Santiago and other primate groups under analogous situations reveal similar responses to food shortage.     

Use of streptomycin and isoniazid during a tuberculosis epizootic in a rhesus and cynomolgus breeding colony

An epizootic of tuberculosis occurred following the addition of new cynomolgus monkeys to a nonhuman primate breeding colony. A total of 5/47 cynomolgus and 51/148 rhesus became tuberculin positive (reactors). Mycobacterium tuberculosis was cultured from reactors which were euthanatized and monkeys which died spontaneously. The isolates were sensitive to the standard antitubercular agents. Rhesus reactors and their unweaned infants were quarantined and given streptomycin and isoniazid by intramuscular injection. Isoniazid was added to the drinking water quarantined and given streptomycin and isoniazid by intramuscular injection. Isoniazid was added to the drinking water of the remainder of the breeding colony to curtail the outbreak. Isoniazid toxicity was observed in both infants and adults with an overall incidence of 3%. Forty-eight rhesus reactors and their infants born before the outbreak were alive and healthy at the end of the treatment period. In addition, nine surviving infants were born during the 6 month treatment period. Tuberculin tests were still positive in many of the treated reactors following treatment. In this epizootic, the institution of quarantine and chemotherapy instead of euthanasia resulted in significant savings.