Eliminating Potential Effects of Other Infections During Selection of Nonhuman Primates for COVID-19 Research.

The study of nonhuman primates (NHP) can provide significant insights into our understanding numerous infectious agents. The etiological agent of COVID-19, SARS-CoV-2 virus, first emerged in 2019 and has so far been responsible for the deaths of over 4 million people globally. In the frenzied search to understand its pathogenesis and immunology and to find measures for prevention and control of this pandemic disease, NHP, particularly macaques, are the preferred model because they manifest similar clinical signs and immunologic features as humans.

Morphometry of cryopreserved organs from the gastrointestinal system of squirrel monkeys (Saimiri sciureus, Linnaeus, 1758) for improvement of management.

Background: Nonhuman primates (NHPs) are fundamental for countless types of research and their phylogenetic similarities with humans make them valuable biomodels. Saimiri (squirrel monkeys) is the New World simian genus that is most widely used in research; however, little is known about the morphology of the gastrointestinal tract (GIT) of these animals.

Methods: The morphological and topographical aspects of GIT organs from 14 previously frozen carcasses of captive squirrel monkeys (Saimiri sciureus) were described as a means for refining clinical and laboratory diagnoses, with the aim of providing a basis for clinical assessments and animal management.