@article{23020,
  keywords = {Animals, Antibodies, Bacterial, Antigens, Bacterial, Biopsy, Disease Models, Animal, Female, Glycolipids, Histocytochemistry, Lepromin, leprosy, Macaca fascicularis, Male, Monkey Diseases, Mycobacterium leprae},
  author = {Walsh GP and Cruz E and Abalos R and Tan E and Fajardo TT and Villahermosa L and Cellona RV and Balagon MV and White VA and Saunderson P and Walsh DS},
  title = {Limited susceptibility of cynomolgus monkeys (Macaca fascicularis) to leprosy after experimental administration of Mycobacterium leprae.},
  abstract = {<p>Cynomolgus monkeys are a useful model for human tuberculosis, but susceptibility to M. leprae is unknown. A cynomolgus model of leprosy could increase understanding of pathogenesis-importantly, neuritis and nerve-damaging reactions. We administered viable Mycobacterium leprae to 24 cynomolgus monkeys by three routes, with a median follow-up period of 6 years (range = 1-19 years) involving biopsies, nasal smears, antiphenolic glycolipid-1 (PGL-1) antibody serology, and lepromin skin testing. Most developed evanescent papules at intradermal M. leprae inoculation sites that, on biopsy, showed a robust cellular immune response akin to a lepromin skin test reaction; many produced PGL-1 antibodies. At necropsy, four monkeys, without cutaneous or gross neurological signs of leprosy but with elevated PGL-1 antibodies, including three with nasal smears (+) for acid fast bacilli (AFB), showed histological features, including AFB, suggestive of leprosy at several sites. Overall, however, cynomolgus monkeys seem minimally susceptible to leprosy after experimental M. leprae administration.</p>},
  year = {2012},
  journal = {The American journal of tropical medicine and hygiene},
  volume = {87},
  pages = {327-36},
  month = {2012 Aug},
  issn = {1476-1645},
  doi = {10.4269/ajtmh.2012.11-0780},
  language = {eng},
}