Abstract
The Laboratory Primate is divided into three parts. The first part, “Defining the Primate Model”, consists of 9 chapters covering primate taxonomy, anatomy, pathology, reproduction, and primate natural history and social behaviour. The second part, “Primate Management”, consists of 7 chapters, including husbandry and management of old and new world primates, nutrition and nutritional diseases, environmental enrichment, development of specific pathogen free colonies, and medical care. The third part, “Current Uses in Biomedical Research”, consists of 20 chapters covering a range of topics including factors in selecting the species used for experiments, such imaging techniques as ultrasound, endoscopy, radiography, PET and MRI scanning, and the primate as an animal model for chronic diseases, reproduction, pharmacolgy, aging, neurological disease, etc.
Chapter 4 specifically covers pathology of noninfectious diseases of the laboratory primate. It is a very well written chapter with some good photographs and an extensive reference list. However, it is only 21 pages long and covers all systems in multiple species. Common spontaneous lesions and species affected are outlined, with a succinct description of each, and references for more information. Photographs are good, but there are not enough of them for a pathologist. This chapter is a good starting point but does require the reader to look elsewhere for more in-depth information. Expansion of this chapter in future editions would be useful.
The coverage of lesions associated with parasites, bacteria, and viruses is scattered among several chapters and often requires using the index to find these topics. There are not enough photographs, and these chapters are not written by or for pathologists; descriptions of lesions are often superficial. There is good information on the molecular biology of some of these infectious agents.
A major criticism of The Laboratory Primate is the lack of a description of the interpretation of viral testing, especially for the simian retroviruses. Viral testing and the actual meaning of “positive” or “negative” results (sensitivity and specificity) are a common area of discussion in toxicologic pathology with scientists in other disciplines. This is not covered in this book, but would be a valuable addition.
For a veterinary pathologist who works in toxicologic pathology in pharmaceutical or other toxicologic research, The Laboratory Primate is a marginally useful reference. Primates used in toxicologic research are usually young and healthy. Due to ethical concerns and cost, the group sizes are necessarily small. There are numerous common background lesions seen in these young primates, but most of these are not covered. In discussions with scientists of other disciplines in toxicologic research, the veterinary pathologist is often asked to comment on these background lesions, or the significance of lesions of a questionable relationship to test article. These other scientists commonly ask about the potential that lesions seen are related to parasites, viruses, or treatments given as part of colony health maintenance. Unfortunately, this book will not help answer these questions.
For a veterinary pathologist who works primarily with primates in an academic setting, The Laboratory Primate is likely to be a good reference. There are well written chapters covering taxonomy, behavior, genetics, reproduction, husbandry, various primate models of human disease, and research methods. This same information will also be somewhat useful to veterinary pathologists who only occasionally work with primates in either an academic setting or in toxicologic pathology.