Kottwitz Jack J, Perry Kaylee K, Rose Heidi H, Hendrix Charles M
Department of Anatomy, Physiology, and Pharmacology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Auburn University, Auburn, AL 36849.
J Am Vet Med Assoc. 2014 Oct 1;245(7):821-7. doi: 10.2460/javma.245.7.821.
3 Geoffroy's tamarins (Saguinus geoffroyi) in a zoo in east central Alabama developed neurologic signs shortly after a tamarin kept in the same enclosure was found dead.
Neurologic abnormalities varied among animals and were progressive. One female tamarin with a head tilt, nystagmus, mild ataxia, and paresis of a thoracic limb had gram-positive cocci present in an ear canal with otitis media and interna suspected. Another female with mild ataxia attributed to previous tail amputation developed seizures, and a male tamarin with tail tip trauma also developed ataxia.
The tamarin with suspected otitis received cephalexin and prednisolone, but neurologic signs worsened, and the patient died. Preliminary examination of necropsy samples revealed severe meningoencephalitis in both deceased tamarins. Prednisolone and phenobarbital treatment was initiated for the tamarin with seizures, but rapid neurologic deterioration led to euthanasia. Further histologic examination of the 3 deceased tamarins revealed meningitis and acute perivascular hemorrhage in the meninges. Parasites morphologically consistent with Angiostrongylus (Parastrongylus) cantonensis were present in the lungs of 1 animal and in the meninges of 2. The surviving tamarin received cephalexin for tail tip trauma and prednisolone and albendazole for presumed meningoencephalitis and parasitic infection but had permanent neurologic deficits.
To our knowledge, these represent the first cases of A cantonensis infection in Geoffroy's tamarins and the first report of its presence in the United States not associated with a major shipping port. The presence of a mature worm in the lungs of 1 tamarin suggested completion of the parasite life cycle, previously reported only in rats.
阿拉巴马州中东部一家动物园里的3只黑掌绢猴（Saguinus geoffroyi），在同笼饲养的一只黑掌绢猴被发现死亡后不久，出现了神经症状。
动物之间的神经异常各不相同且呈进行性发展。一只头部倾斜、眼球震颤、轻度共济失调且胸肢轻瘫的雌性黑掌绢猴，耳道内发现革兰氏阳性球菌，怀疑患有中耳炎和内耳炎。另一只因先前尾巴截肢而轻度共济失调的雌性黑掌绢猴出现癫痫发作，一只尾巴尖端受伤的雄性黑掌绢猴也出现了共济失调。
疑似患有中耳炎的黑掌绢猴接受了头孢氨苄和泼尼松龙治疗，但神经症状恶化，最终死亡。尸检样本的初步检查显示，两只死亡的黑掌绢猴均患有严重的脑膜脑炎。对出现癫痫发作的黑掌绢猴开始使用泼尼松龙和苯巴比妥治疗，但神经功能迅速恶化，最终实施了安乐死。对3只死亡黑掌绢猴的进一步组织学检查显示，脑膜有脑膜炎和急性血管周围出血。在1只动物的肺部和2只动物的脑膜中发现了形态与广州管圆线虫（拟圆线虫属）一致的寄生虫。存活的黑掌绢猴因尾巴尖端受伤接受了头孢氨苄治疗，因推测患有脑膜脑炎和寄生虫感染接受了泼尼松龙和阿苯达唑治疗，但留下了永久性神经功能缺损。
据我们所知，这些是黑掌绢猴感染广州管圆线虫的首例病例，也是美国首次在与主要航运港口无关的地区发现该寄生虫的报告。在1只黑掌绢猴的肺部发现了一条成熟的蠕虫，表明寄生虫的生命周期已完成，此前仅在大鼠中报道过。
