ANATOMO HISTOPATOLÓGICA Y ULTRAESTRUCTURA DE LA COLITIS QUISTICA EN MONOS SAGUINUS: UN MODELO BIOLÓGICO NATURAL PARA EL ESTUDIO DE LA ENFERMEDAD ANALOGA EN EL HUMANO (a)

Alfonso Gozalo (b), Alfonso Chavera (c), Gerald E. Dagle(d), Enrique Montoya (b), Richard E. Weller (d), Nancy Rojas (e), Juan Tacaño (e).

(a) Financiado por el Fondo de Desarrollo Universitario, San Marcos y Proyecto Peruano de Primatología
(b) Centro de Reproducción y Conservación de Primates No Humanos, IVITA. Fax:(51-94)232951
(c) D.A. Salud Animal. Fac Med Vet, Univ San Marcos. Lima, Perú.
(d) Biology and Chemistry Department, Battelle Pacific Northwest Research Laboratories, Richland, Washington 99352, USA.
(e) Departamento de Patología, Fac Medicina, Univ San Marcos, Lima, Perú.

ABSTRACT

A histologic and ultrastructural study was performed in 47 tamarins (18 Saguinus mystax and 29 Saguinus labiatus) who died at the Center for Reproduction and Conservation of Non Human Primates in Iquitos, Peru. Grossly, 23 monkeys were diagnosed as having chronic colitis. Typically, the cecal and colonic mucosa was greyish and small yellowish cysts, measuring 1 - 4 mm, were found randomly distributed bulging the mucosa. At microscopic examination, the yellowish cysts were found to be mucus-filled cysts in the colonic and cecal mucosa, submucosa, and muscularis propria, frequently lined by demonstrable epithelium. Microscopically, colitis cystica profunda was diagnosed additionaly in six more animals, giving a total of 29 cases. Ultrastructural study revealed cellular hyperplasia, intestinal metaplasia due to chronic irritation with pseudo stratification from the epithelium and degenerative changes. Clinically diarrhea was observed. No pathogen was isolated. Disease and severity of lesions were clearly associated with time in captivity (mean 29.95 months). This is the first report to our knowledge that describes colitis cystica profunda in a nonhuman primate.

Key Words: Saguinus mystax, Saguinus labiatus, Callithrichida, colitis, wasting syndrome.