Spontaneous colitis cystica profunda in captive tamarins

Abstract

Of the 232 tamarins (133 Saguinus mystax and 99 Saguinus labiatus) that died at the Center for Reproduction and Conservation of Nonhuman Primates in Iquitos, Peru from January 1987 to December 1990, 23 monkeys (9.9%) were diagnosed as having chronic colitis. Typically, the cecal and colonic mucosa was greyish and small yellowish cysts, measuring 1-4 mm, were found randomly distributed bulging the mucosa. Microscopically, colitis cystica profunda was diagnosed additionally in six more animals, giving a total of 29 cases (12.5%). This is the first report to our knowledge that describes colitis cystica profunda in a nonhuman primate.