Lab Anim Res.  2012 Sep;28(3):217-221. 10.5625/lar.2012.28.3.217.

Acute gastrointestinal dilation in laboratory rhesus monkeys in the Korea National Primate Research Center

• Kim KM
• Lee SR
• Chang KS
• Lee YH
• Kim SW
• Jung KJ
• Lee Y
• Kim D
• Chang KT

• KMID: 1436728
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.5625/lar.2012.28.3.217

Abstract

Acute gastrointestinal dilation is a medical condition in which the stomach and intestine become overstretched by excessive gas content. In laboratory monkeys, cases of bloating involving gastrointestinal dilation are rarely seen, and the cause thereof is not clearly defined. Two rhesus monkeys in the Korea National Primate Research Center were found to suffer from acute gastrointestinal dilation. One of the monkeys showed severe gastric bloating after recovering from general anesthesia with isoflurane, where after it died suddenly. During necropsy, severe congestion of the lung was observed. The other monkey showed gastrointestinal dilation and died after treatment. During necropsy, severe dilation of the large intestine was observed. Severe congestion was detected in small and large intestines. Histopathologically, erythrocytes were found to fill the alveoli and alveolar capillaries of the lung. In stomach, epithelial cells were found to be sloughed from the mucosal layer, and erythrocytes were found to fill the blood vessels of the submucosal and mucosal layers. In small and large intestines, epithelial cells were also found to be sloughed from the mucosal layer, and inflammatory cells were found to have infiltrated in the submucosa (only large intestine) and mucosa. Microbiologically, Enterococcus faecalis and the pathogenic Staphylococcus haemolyticus, which do not form gas in the gastrointestinal tract, were detected in the gastrointestinal contents of both monkeys. These results suggest that the cause of the acute gastrointestinal dilation in these monkeys was not infection by gas-forming bacteria, but rather multiple factors such as diet, anesthesia, and excessive water consumption.

Keyword

Acute gastrointestinal dilation; laboratory monkey; non-bacterial multiple causes

MeSH Terms

Anesthesia
Anesthesia, General
Bacteria
Blood Vessels
Capillaries
Diet
Drinking
Enterococcus faecalis
Epithelial Cells
Erythrocytes
Estrogens, Conjugated (USP)
Gastrointestinal Contents
Gastrointestinal Tract
Haplorhini
Intestine, Large
Intestines
Isoflurane
Korea
Lung
Macaca mulatta
Mucous Membrane
Primates
Staphylococcus haemolyticus
Stomach
Estrogens, Conjugated (USP)
Isoflurane

Figure

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  Figure 1 Gastric dilation in a laboratory rhesus monkey. A) Excessive gastric dilation was observed. B) Severe congestion was found in the lung. Bar=2 cm.

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  Figure 2 Gastrointestinal dilation in a laboratory rhesus monkey. (A) Abdominal distension by acute gastrointestinal dilation was observed. (B) The extended small intestine was found to extrude from the abdominal cavity. (C) The gas in the gastrointestinal tract was removed. (D) After surgery, the abdomen returned to its normal state.

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  Figure 3 Postmortem examination of a rhesus monkey with gastrointestinal dilation. (A) Excessive large intestinal dilation was found. Bar=2 cm. (B) Severe hemorrhagic lesions were detected in the small intestine. Bar=1 cm. (C) Focal hemorrhagic lesions were found in the large intestine. Bar=1 cm.

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  Figure 4 Histologic findings in a rhesus monkey with gastrointestinal dilation. (A) Erythrocytes were found to fill the alveoli and alveolar capillaries. Lung, hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) stain (×100). Bar=100 µm. (B) Epithelial cells were found to be sloughed from the mucosal layer, and erythrocytes were found to fill the blood vessels in the submucosal and mucosal layer of the stomach. Stomach, H&E stain (×100). Bar=100 µm. (C) Epithelial cells were found to be sloughed from the mucosal layer, and inflammatory cells were found to have infiltrated the mucosa of the small intestine. Small intestine, H&E stain (×200). Bar=200 µm. (D) Epithelial cells were found to be sloughed from the mucosal layer, and inflammatory cells were found to have infiltrated the mucosa and submucosa of the large intestine. Large intestine, H&E stain (×200). Bar=200 µm.

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