Immunological competence in non-human primates: differences observed in four species.

  • 1 February 1974
    • journal article
    • Vol. 16  (2) , 267-77
Abstract
Previous studies have shown that the baboon and squirrel monkey are resistant to certain herpesviruses that cause serious infection or induce tumours in the cebus monkey and marmoset. This study was undertaken to evaluate the immunological competence of the four species of nonhuman primates. A variety of clinical immunological techniques were employed to evaluate the bursal, thymicdependent and phagocytic systems of immunity in these species. No primate was found to demonstrate immune competence of the same magnitude observed in normal humans.