title: Tetraparesis resembling acute transverse myelitis in a captive chimpanzee (Pan troglodytes): long-term care and recovery.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  A 24-year-old, male chimpanzee (Pan troglodytes) developed acute tetraparesis. Magnetic resonance imaging showed a diffuse T2-weighted hyperintensive lesion, indicating inflammation at the C1-2 level. All infective, autoimmune, and vascular investigations were unremarkable.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The chimpanzee's condition most resembled acute transverse myelitis (ATM) in humans. The chimpanzee was in severe incapacitated neurological condition with bedridden status and required 24-hour attention for 2 months followed by special care for over a year. Initially, corticosteroid therapy was performed, and his neurological symptoms improved to some extent; however, the general condition of the chimpanzee deteriorated in the first 6 months after onset. Pressure ulcers had developed at various areas on the animal's body, as the bedridden status was protracted. Supportive therapy was continued, and the general condition, appetite, mobility, and pressure ulcers have slowly but synergistically recovered over the course of 2 years.
authors.affiliation: Center for Human Evolution Modeling Research, Primate Research Institute, Kyoto University, Inuyama, Aichi, Japan.
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Miyabe-Nishiwaki
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kaneko
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Nishiwaki
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Watanabe
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Watanabe
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Maeda
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kumazaki
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Morimoto
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Hirokawa
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Suzuki
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Ito
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hayashi
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Tanaka
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Tomonaga
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Matsuzawa
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D018420:Ape Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000628:therapy; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D008134:Long-Term Care; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D009188:Myelitis, Transverse / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000662:veterinary*; D009752:Nutritional Status; D002679:Pan troglodytes; D010291:Paresis / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid / Q000209:etiology / Q000662:veterinary*; D003668:Pressure Ulcer / Q000209:etiology / Q000662:veterinary; D013119:Spinal Cord Injuries / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000628:therapy / Q000662:veterinary*