Online Issues

Journal Vol 49 (2)

Specific Pathogen-Free Macaques: Definition, History, and Current Production

William R. Morton, Michael B. Agy, Saverio V. Capuano, and Richard F. Grant

William R. Morton, VMD, is Chair and CEO of Paris nhp in Edmonds, Washington. Michael B. Agy, PhD, is a research scientist at the Washington National Primate Research Center in Seattle. Saverio V. Capuano, DVM, is the attending veterinarian and Associate Director for the Animal Services Division at the Wisconsin National Primate Research Center, University of Wisconsin, Madison. Richard F. Grant, PhD, is Director of Analytical Biology at SNBL USA in Everett, Washington.

Address correspondence and reprint requests to Dr. William R. Morton, Chair and CEO, Paris nhp, PO Box 1454, Edmonds, WA 98020 or email wrm@parisnhp.com.

Abstract

Specific pathogen-free (SPF) macaque colonies are now requested frequently as a resource for research. Such colonies were originally conceived as a means to cull diseased animals from research-dedicated colonies, with the goal of eliminating debilitating or fatal infectious agents from the colony to improve the reproductive capacity of captive research animals. The initial pathogen of concern was Mycobacterium tuberculosis (M.tb.), recognized for many years as a pathogen of nonhuman primates as well as a human health target. More recently attention has focused on four viral pathogens as the basis for an SPF colony: simian type D retrovirus (SRV), simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV), simian T cell lymphotropic/leukemia virus (STLV), and Cercopithecine herpesvirus 1 (CHV-1). New technologies, breeding, and maintenance schemes have emerged to develop and provide SPF primates for research. In this review we focus on the nonhuman primates (NHPs) most common to North American NHP research facilities, Asian macaques, and the most common current research application of these animals, modeling of human AIDS.

Key Words: Cercopithecine herpesvirus 1; herpes B virus; Mycobacterium tuberculosis; nonhuman primate; simian immunodeficiency virus; simian T cell lymphotropic virus; specific pathogen-free; tuberculin testing