Computed tomography or necropsy diagnosis of multiple bullae and the treatment of pneumothorax in rhesus macaques (Macaca mulatta)

Abstract

Pulmonary bullae and pneumothorax have various etiologies in veterinary medicine. We diagnosed multiple pulmonary bullae combined with or without pneumothorax by computed tomography (CT) or necropsy in seven rhesus macaques (Macaca mulatta) imported from China. Two of seven rhesus macaques accompanied by pneumothorax were cured by fixation of ruptured lung through left or right 3rd intercostal thoracotomy. Pneumonyssus simicola, one of the etiologies of pulmonary bullae, was not detected from tracheobronchiolar lavage. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first case report on the CT-aided diagnosis of pulmonary bullae and the successful treatment of combined pneumothorax by thoracotomy in non-human primates (NHPs).

Ratio of the Bronchial Lumen to Pulmonary Artery Diameter in Rhesus Macaques (Macaca mulatta) without Clinical Pulmonary Disease

“…23 The differences in the bronchoarterial ratio between rhesus macaques and these other species may simply reflect different inherent anatomic features. 26 Little has been published regarding the CT features of normal or abnormal airways om rhesus macaques, 12,14,16 and no study has reported the prevalence of bronchiectasis in rhesus macaques. In comparison, there are 2 studies that report on bronchiectasis in rhesus macaques-one based on pathologic findings in animals infected with malaria 28 and the other focused on the features of thoracic CT scans of pulmonary tuberculosis infections.…”

Pathologic characteristics of infectious diseases in macaque monkeys used in biomedical and toxicologic studies

“…Pulmonary acariasis ( Pneumonyssus simicola ) is parasitic infections observed in NHPs, including cynomolgus monkeys 152 . The prevalence of pulmonary acariasis in a colony increases with the age of the monkeys 153 , 154 . Recently, mite bodies were not so commonly observed in the lung sections in toxicological studies.…”

“…Bronchitis or peribronchiolitis, which is sometimes accompanied by bronchiolar dilatation, is evident 128 , 154 , 155 , 156 . Ivermectin treatment effectively eliminates mites but cyst-like structures with granulomatous inflammation may persist 153 , 154 .…”

“…Pneumothorax due to cyst or bulla rupture can occur in severely infested macaques. Clinical diagnosis of acariasis using X-ray is difficult in monkeys 153 , 155 . Tracheobronchial lavage examination and computed tomography are potential tools for detecting the presence of Pneumonyssus spp.…”

Current status of xenotransplantation in South Korea

“…Not only the key resources implemented for clinical realization such as DPF‐grade donor pigs and a non‐human primate (NHP) facility for expediting translational research, but also the dedication and efforts of principal investigators and researchers in XRC have been contributing to the current excellence and important scientific achievements. Kim, et al established the procedures for NHP studies including the diagnosis, induction and maintenance of diabetes, surgery, and pre‐ and post‐operation care . Monitoring the immune responses and the control of immunological rejection are essential for successful xenotransplantation.…”