Akimov D.Yu., Makarova M.N., Akimova M.A., Bondareva E.D., Khan S.O. Risk-based approach to the health monitoring of primates. Laboratory Animals for Science. 2021; 2. https://doi.org/10.29296/2618723X-2021-02-09
Primates have a high genetic similarity to humans, which makes them so valuable for research. The share of non-human primates in the total number of laboratory animals is 0.5%. The wide variety of non-human primate species used in research can be divided into New World and Old World species.
Due to the high diversity of primate species, the issues of monitoring animal health are topical, the reason for this is the high virulence of the same pathogenic agent from species to species. There are recommendations of the FELASA group, which are the main guideline in this direction. The latest revision of the guidelines for the primate health monitoring (2018) recommends to take into account geographic location, government regulations, and the spread of endemic organisms before planning health monitoring of the primates.
The aim of the study is to develop our own research plan for laboratory primates using a risk-based approach.
We used general analytical, epizootic and risk-oriented methods of approach to this problem.
We found that:
a) Cynomolgus (Macaca fascicularis), Rhesus monkey (Macaca mulatta), Green monkeys (Chlorocebus sabaeus), and marmosets are the most attractive primate species for preclinical research.
b) Comparing the recommendations of FELASA (2018), the requirements of the legislation of the Russian Federation and other recommendations, we came to the conclusion that, in spite of all programs have a common goal, there are quite a few differences in the practical use and the list of pathogens for the primates health monitoring.
c) Recommendations for health monitoring of primates in the conditions of their breeding and keeping in the North-West region of Russia should include incoming, episodic, semi-annual and annual control. Apart from main parasitic agents, incoming control should include amoebiasis and giardiasis testing. Episodic control should include tests for: salmonellosis, shigellosis, escherichiosis, campylobacteriosis, yersiniosis including Yersinia pestis, Y. pseudotuberculosis; leptospirosis, listeriosis.
Semi-annual control must have required tests for hepatitis types A, B, C. Annual control: for simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV), monkey T-cell leukemia (STLV), monkey retrovirus type D (SRV), and tuberculosis. Annual controls also should include rabies and measles, unless vaccination of animal is provided.
The work was done without sponsorship.
Autors’ contributions
D.Yu. Akimov – carrying responsibility for all aspects of the study related to data reliability.
M. N. Makarova – idea, critical revision of article, approval of the final version of the article for publication.
M. A. Akimova – collection and systematisation of literature data.
E. D. Bondarevа – collection and systematisation of literature data.
S. O. Khan – collection and systematisation of literature data.
The authors declare no conflicts of interest.