Leishmania donovani: Clinical, Hematologic and Hepatic Changes in Squirrel Monkeys (Saimiri sciureus)

Clinical signs, parasite densities, and hematologic and hepatic changes were studied in 7 squirrel monkeys (Saimiri sciureus) each of which was inoculated intravenously with amastigotes (5.0 × 107 per kg body weight) of a Khartoum strain (WR 378) of Leishmania donovani. One control monkey was inocul...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:The Journal of parasitology 1985-10, Vol.71 (5), p.576-582
Main Authors: Dennis, Vida A., Chapman, Willie L., Hanson, William L., Lujan, Ricardo
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Adrenal Glands - pathology
Amastigotes
Anemia
Anemia - etiology
Animals
Biological and medical sciences
Bone Marrow - parasitology
Bone Marrow - pathology
Disease Models, Animal
Experimental protozoal diseases and models
Female
Granuloma
Granuloma - parasitology
Granuloma - pathology
Human protozoal diseases
Infections
Infectious diseases
Leishmania donovani - isolation & purification
Leishmaniasis, Visceral - blood
Leishmaniasis, Visceral - complications
Leishmaniasis, Visceral - parasitology
Leishmaniasis, Visceral - pathology
Leshmaniasis
Leukocyte Count
Liver
Liver - parasitology
Liver - pathology
Lymphocytosis - etiology
Macrophages - parasitology
Male
Medical sciences
Memory interference
Neutropenia - etiology
Parasites
Parasitic diseases
Parasitology
Pathology
Protozoal diseases
Saimiri
Spleen
Spleen - parasitology
Spleen - pathology
Tropical medicine
Visceral leishmaniasis
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Summary:Clinical signs, parasite densities, and hematologic and hepatic changes were studied in 7 squirrel monkeys (Saimiri sciureus) each of which was inoculated intravenously with amastigotes (5.0 × 107 per kg body weight) of a Khartoum strain (WR 378) of Leishmania donovani. One control monkey was inoculated with uninfected hamster spleen homogenate. Five of the infected monkeys recovered spontaneously from visceral leishmaniasis by 8 to 15 wk postinoculation (wk PI) and 2 of the infected monkeys died at 39 and 59 days PI, respectively. All monkeys inoculated with L. donovani experienced a slight body weight loss, mild but significant anemia, lymphocytosis and an inconsistent neutropenia. Liver parasite densities could be quantitated from liver imprints from 2 to 8 wk PI and reached a maximum mean of 6.3 \times 10^7 amastigotes/g liver at 4 wk PI in Experiment 1 and 13.4 × 107 amastigotes/g liver at 6 wk PI in Experiment 2. None of the liver imprints contained parasites at 15 wk PI. The characteristic histopathologic findings in liver biopsy and necropsy samples were multiple granulomas consisting of macrophages (some of which contained parasites), lymphocytes and plasma cells. The squirrel monkey is a moderately susceptible host for L. donovani. Squirrel monkey visceral leishmaniasis has a sustained course and certain clinical, hematologic and pathologic characteristics which are similar to human visceral leishmaniasis.
ISSN:0022-3395
1937-2345
DOI:10.2307/3281426