Song Wanrong, Hu Yujuan, Cheng Minghao, Pu Tianchun, Niu Wenhui, Zhang Yizhuo, Liu Xuefeng, Wang Yunsheng, Zhang Yuguang, Liu Jinpeng, Jin Yipeng
College of Veterinary Medicine, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100193, P. R. China.
Ecology and Nature Conservation Institute, Key Laboratory of Biodiversity Conservation of National Forestry and Grassland Administration, Chinese Academy of Forestry, Beijing, 100091, P. R. China.
BMC Vet Res. 2025 May 20;21(1):363. doi: 10.1186/s12917-025-04797-7.
Gibbons are recognized as a critically endangered primate taxon of significant conservation importance. Given their dwindling populations, accurate disease diagnosis, treatment, and management have become crucial for species preservation. However, the lack of established physiological and biochemical reference ranges currently poses substantial challenges to effective clinical assessment and disease identification in these primates.
In this study, blood samples were collected from the gibbons under anesthesia to ensure safe restraint during the procedure. Thirty-four hematological and biochemical parameters were measured from three yellow-cheeked gibbons (Nomascus gabriellae) and six northern white-cheeked gibbons (Nomascus leucogenys) maintained at Beijing Zoo.
The results showed that there were no conspicuous differences in hematological indicators between two species (P>0.05). Furthermore, comparative analysis of hematological parameters between the clinically diseased individual presenting with gastrointestinal symptoms (anorexia and vomiting) and established normal physiological ranges revealed significantly elevated values in hemoglobin (HGB), white blood cell count (WBC), hematocrit (HCT), serum potassium (K), serum sodium (Na), total protein (TP), albumin (ALB), serum creatinine (SCR) and blood urea nitrogen (BUN). In contrast, neutrophil count (NSG) and alkaline phosphatase (ALP) levels were below normal reference values. Notably, both SCR and BUN exceeded normal ranges by more than three-fold. This suggests that this gibbon's indigestion was caused by impaired kidney function and reduced metabolic capacity.
This study represents the first comprehensive measurement of thirty-four hematological indicators in both yellow-cheeked gibbons and northern white-cheeked gibbons, which provides reference for early disease diagnosis and clinical treatment of gibbons.
长臂猿被公认为是具有重要保护意义的极度濒危灵长类动物分类群。鉴于其种群数量不断减少，准确的疾病诊断、治疗和管理对于物种保护至关重要。然而，目前缺乏既定的生理和生化参考范围，这给这些灵长类动物的有效临床评估和疾病识别带来了巨大挑战。
在本研究中，在麻醉状态下从长臂猿采集血样，以确保采血过程中的安全约束。对饲养在北京动物园的三只黄颊长臂猿（黑冠长臂猿加氏亚种）和六只北白颊长臂猿（黑冠长臂猿白颊亚种）测量了34项血液学和生化参数。
结果表明，两个物种之间的血液学指标没有明显差异（P>0.05）。此外，对出现胃肠道症状（食欲不振和呕吐）的临床患病个体与既定的正常生理范围之间的血液学参数进行比较分析发现，血红蛋白（HGB）、白细胞计数（WBC）、血细胞比容（HCT）、血清钾（K）、血清钠（Na）、总蛋白（TP）、白蛋白（ALB）、血清肌酐（SCR）和血尿素氮（BUN）的值显著升高。相比之下，中性粒细胞计数（NSG）和碱性磷酸酶（ALP）水平低于正常参考值。值得注意的是，SCR和BUN均超过正常范围三倍以上。这表明这只长臂猿的消化不良是由肾功能受损和代谢能力下降引起的。
本研究首次全面测量了黄颊长臂猿和北白颊长臂猿的34项血液学指标，为长臂猿的早期疾病诊断和临床治疗提供了参考。
