RESUMEN
Leishmaniasis, a disease of global relevance, results from infection with the protozoan parasite, Leishmania, which is transmitted to susceptible hosts through the bite of sand flies. Multiple forms of leishmaniasis may occur, including cutaneous, mucocutaneous, and visceral. Research with animal models remains an important approach to help define basic pathophysi- ologic processes associated with infection and disease. In this regard, mice and hamsters represent the most commonly used models. The severity of leishmaniasis in animal models depends on several factors, including genotype of the host and parasite and the dose and route of administration of the parasite to the host, and severity of outcome may range from subclinical to severe illness. This review provides basic background on leishmaniasis, relevant animal models, the pathophysiology and clinical signs in animals used as models of leishmaniasis, and general approaches to mitigate risk to personnel.
Asunto(s)
Modelos Animales de Enfermedad , Leishmaniasis , Animales , Ratones , Cricetinae , Humanos , LeishmaniaRESUMEN
Adequate indoor-air quality (IAQ)--defined by the temperature, relative humidity, and the levels of carbon dioxide, small particles, and total volatile organic compounds (TVOC)--is crucial in laboratory animal facilities. The ventilation standards for controlling these parameters are not well defined. This study assessed the effect of 2 ventilation strategies on IAQ in 2 rooms housing rhesus macaques (Macaca mulatta). We hypothesized that using a demand-controlled ventilation (DCV) system with a baseline ventilation rate of less than 3 fresh-air changes per hour (ACH) would maintain IAQ comparable to or better than the traditional constant flow rate (CFR) system at 12 fresh ACH. During a 60-d study period, each of the 2 rooms operated 30 d on DCV and 30 d on CFR ventilation. In both rooms, temperatures remained more consistently within the established setpoint during the DCV phase than during the CFR phase. Relative humidity did not differ significantly between rooms or strategies. CO2 was lower during the CFR phase than DCV phase. Small-particle and TVOC levels were lower during CFR in the larger (3060 ft(3)) room but not the smaller (2340 ft(3)) room. During the DCV phase, the larger room was at the baseline airflow rate over 99% of the time and the smaller room over 96% of the time. The DCV strategy resulted in a baseline airflow rate of less than 3 ACH, which in turn provided acceptable IAQ over 96% of the time; higher ventilation rates were warranted only during sanitation periods.
Asunto(s)
Contaminación del Aire Interior , Vivienda para Animales , Macaca mulatta , Animales , Dióxido de Carbono/análisis , Temperatura , VentilaciónRESUMEN
Ampullary carcinoma was diagnosed in 6 rhesus macaques that ranged in age from 20 to 35 years. Signalment, premonitory signs of disease, and results of clinical biochemical and hematologic analyses varied among animals. Histologically, the neoplastic cells obliterated the ampulla, with regional spread to the duodenum in all 6 animals and to the pancreas in one animal. Two animals had metastases to the lung, and another two had metastases to the pancreoduodenal lymph nodes and liver. One animal had mesocolonic metastasis. Malignant tumors of the ampullary region are rare in domestic animals, and account for less than 5% of all cancers of the digestive tract in humans.
Asunto(s)
Envejecimiento , Ampolla Hepatopancreática/patología , Neoplasias del Conducto Colédoco/veterinaria , Macaca mulatta , Enfermedades de los Monos , Animales , Animales de Laboratorio , Neoplasias del Conducto Colédoco/diagnóstico , Neoplasias del Conducto Colédoco/patología , Femenino , Humanos , Masculino , Enfermedades de los Monos/diagnóstico , Enfermedades de los Monos/patología , Metástasis de la NeoplasiaRESUMEN
The reliability of culture results from fecal samples versus direct culture of the rectum is compared in 10 cases of diarrhea in rhesus monkeys (Macaca mulatta). Of the 10 comparisons, 7 were the same; of the 3 that were not, suboptimal growth of fecal cultures on primary media plates accounted for the difference. The results suggest that rectal cultures are optimum for diagnosing bacterial causes of diarrhea, but fecal sampling may still serve as a useful alternative under certain circumstances including disease surveillance, identifying etiologies in group-housed animals, and when weighing the physiologic and regulatory ramifications of restraint.
Asunto(s)
Bacterias , Infecciones Bacterianas/veterinaria , Diarrea/veterinaria , Heces/microbiología , Enfermedades de los Monos/diagnóstico , Enfermedades de los Monos/microbiología , Recto/microbiología , Animales , Diarrea/diagnóstico , Diarrea/microbiología , Macaca mulatta , Reproducibilidad de los ResultadosRESUMEN
The application of vaginal cytology in defining reproductive events is a widely accepted and applied diagnostic tool in many species. Here we present a preliminary approach to recognizing a correlation between changes in vaginal epithelial cytology and circulating plasma progesterone in the common marmoset, Callithrix jacchus, such that vaginal cytology could be diagnostically appropriate for reproductive management. We assessed six captive-born adult female common marmosets for the duration of one complete estrus cycle. Cytologic samples, collected by vaginal swab, and blood for plasma progesterone concentration were collected twice weekly. Cytologic samples were blindly assessed, and vaginal epithelial maturation was defined on the basis of the karyopyknotic index (KPI). In the three consistently cycling females (cj0328, cj0732, and cj0678), a marked increase in KPI corresponded with rising plasma progesterone levels, which subsequently decreased throughout the duration of follicular phase. The remaining three females who had previously irregular estrus cycles (cj0608, cj0680, cj0724) demonstrated irregularity in their progesterone profiles which correlated with inconsistent KPIs. Although KPI is not a very sensitive single sampling indicator of ovulation, evaluating changes in cytologic morphology over time aid in predicting the timing of an ovulatory event. Our results suggest that vaginal cytology can be an effective alternative to blood sampling for reproductive management of the common marmoset.