Blood group typing among Brazilian brown-howlers ( Alouatta fusca)

Abstract

An attempt was made to investigate ABO, Rh and MN blood antigens of 108 monkeys belonging to the species Alouatta fusca (brown-howlers). Data concerning ABO antigens did not reveal any positive blood sample for anti-H and anti-A 1 sera. In relation to the Rh system, anti-D, anti-c, anti-C and anti-E sera were used and a different pattern of antigen response was apparent. Positive blood samples were detected only through an indirect Coomb's test among c. 50% of the subjects examined for anti-D serum; and 100% for anti-c serum. For anti-E serum, c. 40% and for anti-C serum c. 50% were positive. The serological response for anti-M and anti-N sera was invariably negative as it was also found out amongst monkeys in the New World. Several techniques were employed to demonstrate the similarity between A and B antigens of monkeys and human erythrocytes and the results indicate the presence of a non-specific antigen in the erythrocyte and a corresponding antibody in the serum of the monkeys. Brown-howler erythrocytes were agglutinated by human serum corresponding to all four ABO blood types. Conversely, the hour types of human erythrocytes were agglutinated by serum belonging to any type of brown-howler subject. It was not possible to investigate antigens of the saliva from monkeys and on attempt to detect these antigens in kidney extract had no success. As a general picture, it was concluded that, corresponding to human ABO blood types, two systems were apparent, one including two antigens and the other just one.