Emory University
USDA inspection reports dated 3/18/03 discuss
violations in the areas of IACUCs for improper internal inspections, and
Housing facilities for non-human primates. A report from 8/23/02
discusses the death of Rhesus monkey #3566 on 4/16/02. Apparently this
primate had been steadily declining since 6/01 – losing 32% of his/her
body weight in this 14-month period. This primate had received multiple
MPTP treatments over a 6-month period. The primate received treatment
for clinical problems on 3/16 and 3/31. Health concerns were again
raised on 4/14. However, the researchers did not observe the primate on
this day, and were unavailable for contact from the veterinary staff.
Husbandry staff didn’t report the animal’s anorexic condition until 4/15
– when the animal was found with no evident heartbeat or respiration,
and hypothermia. The primate was revived, but was found dead the next
morning.
Another incident at Emory described in the USDA report
involves an “. . . anorexic, barely mobile, syringe-fed monkey that had
been living in a sleep study cubicle for ‘several days’ following
multiple, systemic MPTP injections.”
The USDA inspector concludes the report with this
comment: “Recent incidents described herein demonstrate (a) lack (of)
timely communications between investigators/husbandry staff and the
attending veterinarian, one of which resulted in an animal death.”
Other inspection reports (from 3/30/00) list
deficiencies in space requirements, environmental enrichment, and
veterinary care. In relation to the Environmental enrichment violations
the inspector makes an interesting statement: “. . . although a
significant percentage of the macaques at the Yerkes Field Station are
partially or entirely bald, this condition has not been noted as not
normal, accessed for the extent of the condition, nor possible reasons
or solutions investigated. The baldness appears to be due to
overgrooming, and may indicate a need for the opportunity to express
other normal behaviors (climbing, exploring) more frequently.”
The care of primates at Emory University is
particularly important because Emory is the home of the Yerkes Primate
Research Center, which handles over 3000 primates per year.
