Spontaneous Cholelithiasis in a Squirrel Monkey (Saimiri sciureus)

• Published in: Comparative medicine Vol. 66; no. 1; pp. 63 - 67
• Main Authors: Lieberman, Mia T., Wachtman, Lynn M., Marini, Robert P., Bakthavatchalu, Vasu, Fox, James G.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States American Association for Laboratory Animal Science 01-02-2016
• Subjects: Animals; Biopsy - veterinary; Cholelithiasis - diagnosis; Cholelithiasis - microbiology; Cholelithiasis - pathology; Cholelithiasis - veterinary; Female; Monkey Diseases - diagnosis; Monkey Diseases - microbiology; Monkey Diseases - pathology; Nonhuman Primate Models; Saimiri; Severity of Illness Index; Ultrasonography - veterinary
• ISSN: 1532-0820

A mature female squirrel monkey was noted during routine semiannual examinations to have moderate progressive weight loss. Serum chemistry panels revealed marked increases in hepatic enzyme, bilirubin, and bile salt concentrations and hypoalbuminemia. Abdominal ultrasonography revealed
echogenic, shadowing debris in the gallbladder, consistent with cholelithiasis. At necropsy, marked thickening and distension of the gallbladder, cystic duct, and common bile duct was noted, and more than 50 irregularly shaped, black gallstones were removed from the biliary tract. Gallbladder
tissue, bile, and gallstones cultured positive for Escherichia coli and Proteus spp., suggesting a brown-pigment gallstone type secondary to a bacterial nidus. Histopathology revealed severe chronic-active diffuse cholecystitis and severe chronic-active hepatic degeneration
and necrosis with severe cholestasis. To our knowledge, this report is the first description of spontaneous choleilthiasis in a squirrel monkey.