Browsing by Author "VandeBerg, John L."

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    Correlation between Presence of Trypanosoma cruzi DNA in Heart Tissue of Baboons and Cynomolgus Monkeys, and Lymphocytic Myocarditis
    (The American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene, 2014) Mubiru, James N.; Yang, Alice; Dick, Edward J.; Owston, Michael; Sharp, Mark; VandeBerg, Jane F.; Shade, Robert E.; VandeBerg, John L.
    Trypanosoma cruzi, the causative agent of Chagas’ disease, preferentially infects cardiac and digestive tissues. Baboons living in Texas (Papio hamadryas) and cynomolgus monkeys (Macaca fascicularis) have been reported to be infected naturally with T. cruzi. In this study, we retrospectively reviewed cases of animals that were diagnosed with lymphocytic myocarditis and used a polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-based method (S36/S35 primer set) to amplify T. cruzi DNA from archived frozen and formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded (FFPE) cardiac tissues. We show that the PCR method is applicable in archived frozen and FFPE tissues and the sensitivity is in the femtogram range. A positive correlation between PCR positivity and lymphocytic myocarditis in both baboons and cynomolgus monkeys is shown. We also show epicarditis as a common finding in animals infected with T. cruzi.
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    Polymerase Chain Reaction Detection of Trypanosoma cruzi in Macaca fascicularis Using Archived Tissues
    (The American journal of tropical medicine and hygiene, 2009) Williams, Jeff T.; Mubiru, James N.; Schlabritz-Loutsevitch, Natalia E.; Rubicz, Rohina C.; VandeBerg, John L.; Dick Jr, Edward J.; Hubbard, Gene B.
    This study describes conventional and real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) methods developed to detect and quantify Trypanosoma cruzi DNA in cynomolgus monkeys (Macaca fascicularis) using formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded blocks archived for periods of up to 6 years. The highest concentration of T. cruzi DNA was found in the myocardium, urinary bladder, stomach, lymph node, adrenal gland, and colon. The concentration of T. cruzi DNA detected in cardiac tissues was 10–100- fold greater than found elsewhere; the mean concentrations of T. cruzi DNA in non-cardiac tissues were otherwise comparable. Trypanosoma cruzi DNA was amplified from cerebrum but not cerebellum or kidney. Successful use of DNA from formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded blocks is important because most pathology laboratories routinely archive wax blocks. This archived resource can be used for further studies on the prevalence of this disease.
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    Spontaneous heart disease in the adult chimpanzee (Pan troglodytes)
    (Journal of medical primatology, 2009) Seiler, Brittany M.; Seiler, Brittany M.; Dick Jr, Edward J.; Guardado-Mendoza, Rodolfo; VandeBerg, John L.; Williams, Jeff T.; Mubiru2, James N.; Hubbard, Gene B.
    A high incidence of heart disease, especially idiopathic cardio- myopathy (IC), is seen in chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes). Methods We reviewed clinical records and necropsy reports of 87 adult chimpanzees for possible causes of heart disease/IC. We examined age, sex, cause of death, weight, diet, environment, infectious diseases, experimental uses and clinical pathology. Results The overall prevalence of heart disease in chimpanzees was 67.81%; the prevalence of IC was 51.72%. The prevalence of IC was signifi- cantly higher in males (60.32%) than that in females (29.17%, P = 0.009). The prevalence of other heart disease was higher in females (25%) than that in males (12.70%, P = 0.165). Heart failure occurred in 47.13% of chimpanzees. Heart disease was the primary cause of death in 34.49% of chimpanzees; 29.88% died of unknown causes. Conclusions We found no evidence that diet, environment, viral agents, experimental use or disease exposure contributed to the deaths resulting from IC in chimpanzees.