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The Philippine cynomolgus monkey (Macaca fasicularis) provides a new nonhuman primate model of tuberculosis that resembles human disease

Nature Medicine volume 2, pages 430–436 (1996)Cite this article

Abstract

A nonhuman primate model of tuberculosis that closely resembles human disease is urgently needed. We have evaluated the Philippine cynomolgus monkey, Macaca fasicularis, as a model of TB. Cynomolgus monkeys challenged intratracheally with extremely high doses of Mycobacterium tuberculosis (105 or 104 CFU) developed an acute, rapidly progressive, highly fatal multilobar pneumonia. However, monkeys challenged with moderate or low doses of M. tuberculosis (≤103 CFU) developed a chronic, slowly progressive, localized form of pulmonary TB, akin to the disease in humans, that was frequently accompanied by such clinical syndromes as ocular tuberculosis, meningitis and tuberculous spondylitis. A significant proportion of monkeys challenged with 102 or 101 CFU contained the infection in a subclinical state. The Philippine cynomolgus monkey model is an excellent model of chronic TB and provides an opportunity to study subclinical and potentially latent disease in an animal model.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. The Leonard Wood Memorial Research Center, Cebu, The Philippines

    Gerald P. Walsh, Esterlina V. Tan, Eduardo C. Dela Cruz, Rodolfo M. Abalos, Laarni G. Villahermosa, Leon J. Young & Roland V. Cellona

  2. Simian Conservation and Breeding Corporation, Tanay, The Philippines

    Jerome B. Narareno

  3. Department of Medicine, CHC 37-121, UCLA School of Medicine, 10833 Le Conte Avenue, Los Angeles, California, 90095, USA

    Marcus A. Horwitz

Authors
  1. Gerald P. Walsh
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  2. Esterlina V. Tan
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  3. Eduardo C. Dela Cruz
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  4. Rodolfo M. Abalos
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  5. Laarni G. Villahermosa
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Walsh, G., Tan, E., Dela Cruz, E. et al. The Philippine cynomolgus monkey (Macaca fasicularis) provides a new nonhuman primate model of tuberculosis that resembles human disease. Nat Med 2, 430–436 (1996). https://doi.org/10.1038/nm0496-430

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