Urogenital Lesions in Nonhuman Primates at 2 National Primate Research Centers

Abstract

Given their genetic and anatomic similarities to humans, nonhuman primates (NHPs) may serve as animal models for urogenital diseases of humans. The purpose of this study was to examine the frequency of spontaneous urogenital lesions occurring over a 30-year period at the Yerkes and Southwest National Primate Research Centers and to compare and contrast lesions occurring in Old World versus New World primates. Lesions occurring in the chimpanzee ( Pan troglodytes), baboon ( Papio spp.), rhesus macaque ( Macaca mulatta), cynomolgus macaque ( Macaca fascicularis), pig-tailed macaque ( Macaca nemestrina), sooty mangabey ( Cercocebus atys), common marmoset ( Callithrix jacchus), cotton-top tamarin ( Sanguinus oedipus), and squirrel monkey ( Saimiri sciureus) are discussed. The most common lesions of the kidney were medullary amyloidosis, renal cysts, renal tubular degeneration, glomerulonephritis or glomerulopathy, nephritis, nephrocalcinosis, pyelonephritis, and hydronephrosis. Specific causes of renal tubular disease included pigmentary nephrosis and tubular lipidosis. Renal tumors, including renal adenoma and carcinoma, lymphoma, and nephroblastoma, were infrequent diagnoses in all species. Endometriosis was the most frequently diagnosed lesion of the female genital tract. Of the animals examined in this study, it was most frequent in Old World primates. Leiomyoma was the most common uterine tumor. Granulosa cell tumor was the most frequently observed neoplasm of the ovaries, followed by teratoma. Of animals included in the study, most ovarian tumors occurred in baboons. Neoplasms of the male reproductive tract included interstitial cell tumor, seminoma, penile squamous cell carcinoma, penile papilloma, and histiocytoma. In New World monkeys, renal lesions were reported more frequently than genital lesions.

Metastatic endometrioid carcinoma in a hybrid Leontopithecus sp.

“…11 In the present case, an extrauterine neoplastic glandular proliferation was observed in the urinary bladder, jejunum, and rectum. Although some benign and malignant oviductal tumors are reported in rhesus monkeys (Macaca mulatta), 8 we did not observe gross or microscopic changes in the oviducts of this primate.…”

“…The vaginal bleeding in this NHP represented a delayed clinical sign of an initially silent uterine neoplasm. Most uterine neoplasms in nonhuman primates are considered benign and often an incidental finding 8 . Endometrioid carcinoma needs to be distinguished from other similar entities.…”

Vaginal foreign bodies in six nonhuman primates with underlying pathological conditions

“…In this case series, the co-occurrences of health issues in all cases suggest that the self-insertion of VFBs could be a response to pathological conditions of the urogenital tract, possibly associated with discomfort or pain. The reproductive lesions encountered in this case series have been reported previously in the absence of VFBs in macaques (Cline et al, 2008;Gall et al, 2018;Harbison et al, 2013;Kirejczyk et al, 2021); thus, even if this case series presents concurrent diagnoses of VFBs with urogenital diseases, any association cannot be proven in these cases. Moreover, some lesions may be secondary to the presence of VFBs themselves, such as the vaginitis detected histologically in Cases #1 and #5.…”

A three‐portal laparoscopic hysterectomy in a chimpanzee (Pan troglodytes) with a uterine manipulator and vessel sealing device

“…Captive female chimpanzees ( Pan troglodytes ) commonly develop reproductive tract disorders closely resembling those found in humans, including adenomyosis, uterine leiomyoma, ovarian atrophy, endometrial atrophy, granulosa cell tumors, and rarely endometriosis 1,2 . Ovariectomy and/or hysterectomy may be indicated in chimpanzees suffering from chronic pain, bleeding, or pathologic changes that are concerning for malignancy.…”

“…leiomyoma, ovarian atrophy, endometrial atrophy, granulosa cell tumors, and rarely endometriosis. 1,2 Ovariectomy and/or hysterectomy may be indicated in chimpanzees suffering from chronic pain, bleeding, or pathologic changes that are concerning for malignancy. An open laparotomy approach requires a long, ventral midline incision and poses several challenges in this species.…”