title: 25-hydroxy-vitamin D levels among Callithrix penicillata primate species raised in captivity.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Animals in captivity should receive adequate sunlight exposure for sufficient generation of vitamin D [25(OH)D]. In the present study, 25(OH)D serum levels of 84 Callithrix penicillata primates were evaluated.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To determine 25(OH)D levels of those animals; to evaluate the influence of gender and period of sunlight exposure on their 25(OH)D levels.
  
  
  METHODS
  Three groups were evaluated: group 1 (n = 29) on free sunlight exposure; group 2 (n = 34) on partial sunlight exposure; group 3 (n = 21) without sunlight exposure.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The obtained 25(OH)D values were: group 1, 121.2 +/- 33.3 ng/ml; group 2, 115.2 +/- 32.2 ng/ml; group 3, 53.3 +/- 10.4 ng/ml. Significant statistical differences were obtained between groups 1 and 3 (p < 0.001) and groups 2 and 3 (p < 0.001); no statistical difference was found between genders.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Direct sunlight exposure is essential for 25(OH)D sufficiency and it is proposed that the 25(OH)D normal range for captive Callithrix penicillata would be from 104.8 to 137.1 ng/ml (CI = 95%).
authors.affiliation: Primatology Center, Institute of Biology, University of Brasilia, Brasilia, DF, Brazil.
authors.forename: Danilo Simonini
authors.initials: DS
authors.lastname: Teixeira
authors.forename: Luiz Claudio G
authors.initials: LC
authors.lastname: Castro
authors.forename: Yanna Karla M
authors.initials: YK
authors.lastname: Nóbrega
authors.forename: Rodrigo Coutinho
authors.initials: RC
authors.lastname: Almeida
authors.forename: Lenora
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Gandolfi
authors.forename: Riccardo
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Pratesi
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000830:Animals, Laboratory / Q000097:blood; D002144:Callithrix / Q000097:blood*; D005260:Female; D008297:Male; D017440:Photoperiod; D012737:Sex Factors; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D013472:Sunlight; D014807:Vitamin D / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000097:blood
chemical_list: D014807:Vitamin D; C104450:25-hydroxyvitamin D