An oro-facial disease 'noma (cancrum oris)' in a Japanese monkey (Macaca fuscata): clinical signs, clinicopathological features, and response to treatment

Abstract

Background: A Japanese monkey developed severe oro-facial lesions that were called noma in humans. Although extensive destruction of both the buccal regions occurred with rapid progress, author successfully treated the lesions with povidone-iodine, enrofloxacin, chymotrypsin, a glycyrrhizin preparation, and a basic fibroblast growth factor.

Methods: Author clinicopathologically investigated this disease during the treatment.

Results: In the subcutaneous and muscular tissues, the lesions developed characteristic changes such as dissolving collagen fibers and muscular tissues phagocytosed by giant and epitheloid cells. The monkey showed a notable increase in creatine kinase activities. The present examinations revealed severe invasive findings in muscular tissues, which were accompanied by infections of beta-hemolytic streptococcus Group C. This monkey was negative for simian immunodeficiency virus antibody; however, infection with simian D retrovirus was not ruled out.

Conclusions: Simian noma was a rapidly devastating disease, which destroyed the muscle tissues of oro-facial structure. Nonhuman primates are the only species that develop oro-facial lesions, corresponding to noma in humans.