Biomedical subjects
Publications and source records attributed to M Brack.
A case of severe neurological deficiency syndrome marked by visual impairment, motor disturbances, and bilateral extensive glial scarring of the posterior parietal cortex is described in an infant rhesus monkey. Although morphologically resembling perinatal asphyxia, the possibility of a perinatal or postnatal Herpesvirus simiae infection is discussed.
The review article on Simian AIDS viruses compiles the presently known facts of AIDS-related simian retroviruses causing immunodeficiencies or lymphomas in nonhuman primates. They are also compared to the situation in man. Simian acquired immunodeficiencies or lymphoproliferative diseases can be caused by infectious (exogenous) oncoviruses (C- or D-type) or by lentiviruses. Infectious D-type oncoviruses of simian origin are: Mason-Pfizer Monkey Virus (MPMV), Simian Retrovirus type 1 (SRV-1), Simian Retrovirus type 2 (SRV-2). The simian D-type oncoviruses do not have a counterpart in man. Infectious C-type oncovirus of monkeys is STLV, related to, but not identical with HTLV. Most serious to man might be simian lentivirus-infections (SIVs) due to the genetic instability of many lentiviruses. The properties of the different viruses, the clinical symptoms and morphological lesions caused by these agents are outlined and the possible dangers to man discussed. MPMV and the SRVs are considered as genetically stabilized and probably not infectious to man, at least no D-type virus infections of man are known. STLV should be treated with caution due to the close genetic relationship of man and nonhuman primates and of STLV and HTLV, although even in STLV-positive colonies no human infections were reported so far. Extreme caution seems advisable regarding the SIVs, not only because of the close phylogenetic and genetic relationships to HIVs. HIVs and SIVs, which are considered to have diverged only comparably recently from common ancestors and from each other possess a marked genetic plasticity (unstability). Therefore working with Old World monkeys, especially of African origin, with tissues of blood obtained from such animals requires certain protective action.
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Spontaneous IgM-mediated mesangioproliferative nephropathy was detected in 91% of tamarins and marmosets over 6 months old. The disease remains silent for long periods but is progressive. It is responsible for, or is at least related to, the cause of death in 20% of animals. Morphological characteristics are those of mesangial hyperplasia accompanied by subacute to chronic interstitial inflammation. The immunopathological demonstration of early accumulation of IgM within the mesangial cells and matrix, followed by interstitial deposition of C3, suggests that the lesion is mediated by immunological mechanisms.
After a short summary of the few reported tumours of the male genital system in non-human primates, a malignant Leydig cell tumour is described in an adult male Tupaia belangeri. The tumour had metastasized in the omentum probably by haematogenous spread enabled by the peculiar perivascular growth pattern of the tumour cells. Its differential diagnosis versus seminomas and Sertoli cell tumours is discussed.
Two colonic mucoid adenocarcinomas in tamarins from the German Primate Centre are reported. A mucinous mucoid adenocarcinoma occurred in the ascending and the transversal colon of a Saguinus oedipus male more than 8 years old, with metastases in the regional lymph nodes and the pancreas. The tumour corresponded to colon cancer in cotton-topped tamarins of other colonies. The second tumour, a well differentiated tubular mucoid adenocarcinoma, developed at the ileocaecal valve of a 14 1/2 year old Saguinus fusciollis male with metastases to the local lymphatic system.
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Tupaiataenia quentini was found in many Tupaia belangeri from a closed colony in West Germany. 1.25 mg Praziquantel per animal proved to be efficient for deworming. Direct transmission experiments to non-parasitized tree shrews from another colony failed.
Three spontaneously occurring tumors are described in dwarf galagos. One tumor was a subcutaneous fibrous histiocytoma in the left inguinal area of an adult male; the other two were bile duct carcinomas in a seven-year-old male and a four-year-old female. Both bile duct carcinomas had remarkable invasive and metastasizing capacities.
The second case of a renal tumour in a tamarin is described. The incidentally discovered unilateral tumour developed in an adult female cotton-topped tamarin. It did not cause clinical symptoms and was classified as a papillary adenoma based on its morphological characteristics.
13 newborn baboons were experimentally infected with a baboon-derived herpesvirus SA 8-strain. Intratracheal infection produced herpetic tracheobronchopneumonia, intravenous inoculation resulted in adrenal necrosis similar to that in human neonatal herpes infection.
A computer-assisted model for quantitative analysis of left ventricular segmental wall motion is presented. In contrast to standard rectangular and radial chord methods, no coordinate and reference system is used. Normal wall motion of 5 ventricular segments in the RAO projection was evaluated in 20 patients with normal ventriculograms. Segmental wall motion abnormalities after myocardial infarction were then analyzed by the computer-assisted method in 60 patients and the results compared with the visual assessment of an experienced cardiologist as standard reference. 96% of all segments with normal motion, 95% of all hypokinetic segments and 100% of all dyskinetic segments were correctly identified by computer analysis. Akinesia, however, was detected only in 25% of all cases and misinterpreted chiefly as hypokinesia. Further refinement of the software should improve detection of akinesia and classification of hypokinesia.
A cutaneous tumor was surgically removed from a 10-year-old, male Barbary ape (Macaca sylvanus). Histologically, the tumor was primarily adnexoid in nature and contained structures that resembled abortive hair follicles. The tumor was diagnosed as a trichoepithelioma.
2 cases of noma in cotton topped marmosets (Saguinus oedipus) are reported. The condition did not respond to antibiotic therapy, but was successfully treated in one animal by local application of ethacridine lactate.
Due to faulty use of a chlorpyriphos-diazinon combination as a pesticide within a laboratory animal house, 19 marmosets of 2 species (Saguinus fuscicollis and Callithrix jacchus) of 98 at risk died from organophosphorous poisoning (19%) mortality). The clinical signs were those of cholinesterase inhibitors. The morphological lesions consisted predominantly of haemorrhages in several organs, particularly the CNS, and of bone marrow necroses.
Captive baboons of three age groups were experimentally infected with Herpesvirus SA 8-strain 0430. Intravenous inoculation of the virus induced minor, transient, interstitial pneumonia of a nonspecific type in newborn baboons. Intratracheal inoculation, in contrast, invariably produced multifocal or diffuse necrotizing inclusion body bronchopneumonia within two days in newborn, two months and one year old baboons. Differences in the outcome of the experimental intratracheal infections were noticed, depending on the animals age. All the newborns either died from the extensive pulmonary damage or had to be sacrificed because of serious illness. Older animals, in contrast, survived the initial impact with only minor clinical symptoms and repair of the necrotic and inflammatory lesions. The healing stages were characterized by interstitial fibrosis and transient tumorlike bronchial and bronchiolar epithelial proliferations, which lasted for approximately two months. Intranuclear inclusion bodies in ganglionic cells, ganglioneuritis and neuritis in different parts of the pulmonary plexus in intratracheally infected animals suggested the viral invasion of the pulmonary autonomous nervous system.
Six marmosets (Callithrix jacchus), 20 months to 16 years old, died from a disease characterized by weakness and paralysis of the hind legs, weight lose, anemia and transient diarrhea. The lesions most prominent at necropsy were subacute to chronic tubulointerstitial nephritis, subacute to chronic pancreatitis, and generalized hemosiderosis. Chronic protein deficiency is believed to be the underlying pathogenic mechanism, since the diet contained no more than 15% animal protein during the last two years, and increasing the amount of protein was accompanied by disappearance of the syndrome.
Baboons, unlike many other species of nonhuman primates rarely have spontaneous renal diseases of clinical or morphologic significance. The most common renal lesions in captive baboons were minor interstitial lymphoreticular infiltrates and hyalinization of occasional glomeruli. Embolic pyelonephritis associated with septicemia contributed to the deaths of several young baboons. One adult male had acute myoglobinuric nephrosis (Meyer-Betz disease) with extensive skeletal muscle necrosis.