Administration of airborne pathogens in non-human primates.

Purpose: Airborne pathogen scan penetrate in human respiratory tract and can cause illness. The use of animal models to predict aerosol deposition and study respiratory disease pathophysiology is therefore important for research and a prerequisite to test and study the mechanism of action of treatment. NHPs are relevant animal species for inhalation studies because of their similarities with humans in terms of anatomical structure, respiratory parameters and immune system.

Materials and methods: The aim of this review is to provide an overview of the state of the art of pathogen aerosol studies performed in non-human primates (NHPs). Herein, we present and discuss the deposition of aerosolized bacteria and viruses. In this review, we present important advantages of using NHPs as model for inhalation studies.

Results: We demonstrate that deposition in the respiratory tract is not only a function of aerosol size but also the technique of administration influences the biological activity and site of aerosol deposition. Finally, we observe an influence of a region of pathogen deposition in the respiratory tract on the development of the pathophysiological effect in NHPs.

Conclusion: The wide range of methods used for the delivery of pathogento NHP respiratory airways is associated with varying doses and deposition profiles in the airways.