Measles in monkeys: an epidemiological study

Abstract

This study describes aspects of measles in non-human primates. Monkeys infected before importation are shown to produce non-immune offspring in captivity in England. The high antibody titres found in most recently imported monkeys decline slowly during captivity in England. While measles is often fatal to monkeys, we have described an outbreak in which a number of symptomless infections occurred. Histological examination of fatal cases produced evidence of infection in the wall of the urinary bladder in one monkey. The close similarity between measles in humans and monkeys has been confirmed. It is considered that the study of infection among the latter may have significance for the former.