A rhesus monkey model for the study of Bolivian hemorrhagic fever.
Two groups of rhesus monkeys were inoculated with either 10(5) (group 1) or 10(3) (group 2) plaque-forming units of Machupo virus, the etiologic virus of Bolivian hemorrhagic fever. The monkeys were observed for clinical signs; body temperatures, viremias, hematologic changes, and virus-neutralizing antibody were measured. The onset of clinical signs for groups 1 and 2 occurred on days 4-6 and 7-10, respectively, with fever, anorexia, and depression. These and other signs became more severe, and all of the monkeys died; the respective mean times to death for groups 1 and 2 were 14.3 and 19.5 days. Hematocrit, neutrophil, and lymphocyte values decreased in both groups until a few days before death and then increased slightly. Viremias in the two groups peaked on days 13 and 16, respectively, and persisted until death; the sole exception was one monkey in group 2 that developed neutralizing antibody by day 21. The response of the rhesus monkey to Machupo virus thus provides a useful model for the study of Bolivian hemorrhagic fever.
D000818:Animals; D006477:Arenaviruses, New World / Q000302:isolation & purification; D001831:Body Temperature; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D000882:Haplorhini; D006478:Hemorrhagic Fever, American / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology; D006482:Hemorrhagic Fevers, Viral; D008251:Macaca; D008253:Macaca mulatta