Spontaneous heart disease in the adult chimpanzee (Pan troglodytes).
BACKGROUND
A high incidence of heart disease, especially idiopathic cardiomyopathy (IC), is seen in chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes).


METHODS
We reviewed clinical records and necropsy reports of 87 adult chimpanzees for possible causes of heart disease/IC. We examined age, sex, cause of death, weight, diet, environment, infectious diseases, experimental uses and clinical pathology.


RESULTS
The overall prevalence of heart disease in chimpanzees was 67.81%; the prevalence of IC was 51.72%. The prevalence of IC was significantly higher in males (60.32%) than that in females (29.17%, P = 0.009). The prevalence of other heart disease was higher in females (25%) than that in males (12.70%, P = 0.165). Heart failure occurred in 47.13% of chimpanzees. Heart disease was the primary cause of death in 34.49% of chimpanzees; 29.88% died of unknown causes.


CONCLUSIONS
We found no evidence that diet, environment, viral agents, experimental use or disease exposure contributed to the deaths resulting from IC in chimpanzees.
Seiler
Brittany M
BM
College of Veterinary Medicine, Iowa State University, Ames, IA, USA.
Dick
Edward J
EJ
Guardado-Mendoza
Rodolfo
R
VandeBerg
John L
JL
Williams
Jeff T
JT
Mubiru
James N
JN
Hubbard
Gene B
GB
D000818:Animals; D018420:Ape Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology; D001835:Body Weight; D009202:Cardiomyopathies / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology / Q000662:veterinary*; D004032:Diet; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004777:Environment; D005260:Female; D008297:Male; D009206:Myocardium / Q000473:pathology; D002679:Pan troglodytes; D012189:Retrospective Studies