Pathological changes in nephritis cases of non-human primates in Assam

Background and aim: Occurrence of nephritis in non-human primates is not common. The present study examined 27 carcasses of non-human primates of Assam State Zoo and Department of Forest and Environment, Government of Assam, during the period from December 2007 to November 2009. Methods: Tissue samples were collected in 10% formol saline solution to be processed, sectioned and stained by routine histopathological procedures. Whenever warranted, special staining such as Brown and Brenn, Zeihl-Neelsen's and modified Periodic Acid-Schiff stains were used as per standard techniques. Results: Out of 27 non-human primates, two rhesus macaque (Macaca mulatta) and one slow loris (Nycticebus coucang) died due to nephritis. At postmortem examination, grossly the kidneys were enlarged and pale in colour and the microscopic picture revealed acute glomerulonephritis characterized by increased cellularity of glomeruli. The swollen glomerular tufts with leucocytic infiltration completely occupied the Bowman's capsular space. Conclusions: Death due to nephritis was 11.11% in non-human primates of Assam State Zoo and Department of Forest and Environment, Government of Assam.