Three serologic types of adenovirus infections of owl monkeys

From a colony of 131 owl monkeys, adenovirus was isolated 68 times from 433 oropharyngeal and rectal swab sample pairs collected over a 2-year period. A total of 63 of 68 adenovirus isolates were grouped by neutralization into 1 of 3 types designated owl monkey adenovirus types (OMAV Ty) I, II, and III. The OMAV Ty I and Ty II were identified by neutralization with antiserum to squirrel monkey adenovirus type I and adenovirus SV-11, respectively. The OMAV Ty III was partially neutralized by antiserum to OMAV Ty II. The OMAV Ty I was isolated from 8 of 30 newly imported owl monkeys within 3 weeks of arrival. A total of 13 of 26 owl monkeys had a fourfold or greater rise in serum-neutralization (SN) titer with 25 of 27 developing SN titers of greater than or equal to 1:80. A total of 40 of 87 other owl monkeys in the colony had SN titers of greater than or equal to 1:5. The OMAV Ty II was isolated from 51 (12%) of 433 swab samples pairs. Virus was isolated from 26 owl monkeys with 13 having persistent infections. Viral isolations spanned a 10- to 17-month period for five of these owl monkeys. In 114 owl monkeys, 101 (86%) had SN titers to OMAV Ty II greater than or equal to 1:20. The OMAV Ty III was isolated from three owl monkeys. Of 114 owl monkeys, 93 (82%) had SN titers to OMAV Ty III of greater than or equal to 1:20. Although the distribution of SN titers were similar for OMAV Ty II and Ty III, 42 (37%) of 114 owl monkeys had eightfold or greater differences in SN titers between OMAV Ty II and Ty III.