STUDIES ON THE ETIOLOGY OF SPONTANEOUS CONJUNCTIVAL FOLLICULOSIS OF MONKEYS : I. TRANSMISSION AND FILTRATION
1Laboratories of The Rockefeller Institute for Medical Research.
Abstract:
Spontaneous folliculosis of Macacus rhesus monkeys-a type of follicular conjunctivitis associated with marked, local, inflammatory reactions-is apparently a disease sui generis, due to a specific infectious agent. It can be transmitted from monkey to monkey by means of subconjunctival injection of suspensions, and by conjunctival swabbing of the secretions, of affected tissues, or by contact of normal animals with folliculosis monkeys. The agent causing folliculosis has failed in our hands to pass through Berkefeld and Seitz filters, even those of an unusual degree of permeability; and the lesions that it causes show no cellular inclusions suggestive of the action of a virus. The condition is due apparently to an organism of low grade pathogenicity. The essential histopathological structure corresponds to that of a folliculoma (16) which, while not identical with a granuloma, bears certain resemblances to the latter. The studies here reported concern only one species of monkey, Macacus rhesus. Further investigations will be carried out on different species of Anthropoidea and other animals.
Insights
Spontaneous folliculosis in rhesus monkeys is a unique infectious conjunctivitis. This disease, caused by a filterable agent, presents as a folliculoma and can spread through direct contact.
Area of Science:
- Veterinary Ophthalmology
- Primate Pathology
- Infectious Diseases
Background:
- Spontaneous folliculosis is a follicular conjunctivitis observed in Macacus rhesus monkeys.
- This condition is characterized by significant local inflammatory reactions.
- It is considered a distinct disease entity (sui generis) potentially caused by a specific infectious agent.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the nature and transmission of spontaneous folliculosis in Macacus rhesus monkeys.
- To characterize the etiological agent and its pathological effects.
- To explore the histopathological features of the disease.
Main Methods:
- Transmission studies involving subconjunctival injection and conjunctival swabbing of secretions.
- Filtration experiments using Berkefeld and Seitz filters.
- Histopathological examination of affected tissues.
- Observation for cellular inclusions suggestive of viral activity.
Main Results:
- The disease is transmissible between monkeys via direct contact and inoculation of biological material.
- The causative agent did not pass through standard or highly permeable filters.
- No cellular inclusions indicative of a viral etiology were observed in the lesions.
- Histopathology revealed a structure consistent with a folliculoma, resembling a granuloma.
Conclusions:
- Spontaneous folliculosis in rhesus monkeys is caused by a specific infectious agent of low pathogenicity.
- The agent appears to be non-viral and potentially a bacterium or other microorganism.
- The histopathological findings support a unique disease process, a folliculoma.
- Further research is warranted on other primate species.
