Question 1

1. Blood

2. Stool sample

3. Urine

4. Skin scrapings

5. Saliva sample

Question 2

1. Blood sample

Although it can be considered as a non-invasive procedure, its collection is not as

straightforward as collecting from small laboratory animals or humans. Since non-human

primates have blood-borne pathogens, it is advisable to take causing when handling their blood

samples (White & Dusek, 2015).

The animal can be restrained either mechanically or chemically to avoid traumatic injuries to

both the animal and to the investigator. When the procedure is painful or causes distress to the

animal, anesthetics are necessary. They can be captured by the use of large traps o teleanesthesia.

Then a head restraint procedure allow for safe procedure of collecting blood sample from the ear

(Lefevre et al., 2015).

The site of blood collection should be cleaned and sterilized using 70% alcohol applied with

gauze pan. The instruments for collecting the sample include a capillary tube or needle and

syringe. The cephalic or saphenous veins are the most appropriate sites of collecting blood

sample especially when little amounts are required. The site of blood collection should be

cleaned and sterilized using 70% alcohol applied with gauze pan (White & Dusek, 2015). When
using a capillary tube, the location of blood sampling is lanced with a sterile needle and as the

blood wells up on the surface, the capillary tube is to collect the blood.

2. Stool sample

It is a noninvasive method. To avoid environmental contamination before and during sampling,

stool sample should be very fresh that is, within minutes after being emitted. A single-use

equipment should be used to collect and store stool sample (White & Dusek, 2015). During

transportation, it is either refrigerated or put in alcohol depending on the use.

3. Urine sample

Non-human primates, just like other primates urinate upon awakening which is the ideal time to

collect urine sample. They urinate over the side of their nest. A clean container should therefore

be located in a place where it is possible to collect uncontaminated urine after observing how the

animal urinates after awakening (Davoust, Levasseur, & Mediannikov, 2018). A plastic sheet can

also be tossed quickly beneath the animal while it is urinating. It can also be collected directly

from vegetation using a pipette. Plastic bottles can be used to collect suspended drops on leaves.

4. Skin scraping sample

After capturing the animal through the methods listed above, the animal should be properly

restrained. Using a sterile blade, scarping at the edge of the lesion is done. The skin scrapes are

collected into a clean container or a dermapak (Mecklenburg & Mediannikov, 2018). In

superficial skin scrapes, oozing is not necessary and it is used to collect sample used to identify

parasites dwelling on the surface. Deep skin scrape are used to identify parasites living in the

epidermis or in the hair follicles. Capillary ooze is necessary.

 5. Saliva sample

Oro-pharyngeal swabs are used to collect saliva sample. Ropes are distributed to the animals and

they are allowed to chew them. The ropes are collected and squeezed to release saliva (Lutz et al,

2000).

Question 3

1. Blood sample

For whole blood sample, which include complete blood count and platelet count, EDTA is used

to increase the stability of the sample. For platelets to be evenly spread for their numbers to be

eassessed easily, chelation of calcium by EDTA which hinders platelet aggregation. Blood film

is prepared on a glass slide by spreading it using narrow spreader which is applied at an angle of

25-30° in front of the drop of blood and back (Lefevre et al., 2015).

Thick and thin smear are prepared by putting a drop of whole blood on a microscope slide. A

spreader is held at a 30-40 degree angle in front of the drop. It is the moved back smoothly

through the entire drop of blood to spread evenly (Lefevre et al., 2015). It is then pushed forward

while maintaining a constant motion, contact, and angle. The smear is then stained to allow the

examination of blood cells microscopically.

For serum sample, the sample should be given enough time, at least 15 minutes although it

depends on amount, to adequately clot. Serum protein test is the measure of the total amount of

protein in the blood.

 2. Stool sample

The technique used to identify protozoan trophozoites, oocysts, cysts, and helminth eggs and

larvae is a wet mount. During the preparation of a wet mount, the equipment needed include a

microscope slide, iodine for staining, and saline. Place small amount of fecal sample on the

microscope slide and ass a drop of saline and mix. Stain it with iodine (Davoust, Levasseur, &

Mediannikov, 2018).

3. Scraping sample

When collecting the scrape sample, it is important to place a drop of mineral oil on the sterile

scalpel blade. The parasites, especially mites, will adhere to the oil while the scales from the skin

mix with the oil. Place the scraped material together with the oil on a glass slide and add 1 drop

of oil Urine sample (Mecklenburg & Romeike, 2016).

4. Urine sample

Used for urinalysis which is used in the diagnosis of urinary tract diseases and providing

information about other systemic diseases. The evaluation should be within 30 minutes but it can

be refrigerated for not more than 24 hours. For cytologic evaluation, preservatives such as a few

drops of 10 percent formaline can be added. Fresh urine can be observed to check the color,

clarity, and odor. Abnormalities may include strong odor due to pyuria and bacterial infection

producing urease which causes strong ammonia odor. If the sample is less clear, it might be due

to hematuria, pigmenturia, pyuria, crystalluria, or lipiduaria (White & Dusek, 2015). Urine

should be maintained at room temperature to allow accurate chemical analysis and measurement

of gravity.
 5. Saliva sample

The sample can be store at -80°C for a long time with little or no degradation. After the saliva

sample is collected it should be taken to room temperature before testing. To reduce viscosity of

the saliva, the sample can be centrifuged at high speed (Lutz et al., 2000). The tip of a sterile

pipet can be used to break clot.

 References

Davoust, B., Levasseur, A., & Mediannikov, O. (2018). Studies of nonhuman primates: key

sources of data on zoonoses and microbiota. New microbes and new infections, 26, S104-

S108.

Lefevre, A., Ballesta, S., Pozzobon, M., Charieau, J. L., Duperrier, S., Sirigu, A., & Duhamel, J.

R. (2015). Blood microsampling from the ear capillary in non-human

primates. Laboratory animals, 49(4), 349-352.

Lutz, C. K., Tiefenbacher, S., Jorgensen, M. J., Meyer, J. S., & Novak, M. A. (2000). Techniques

for collecting saliva from awake, unrestrained, adult monkeys for cortisol

assay. American Journal of Primatology: Official Journal of the American Society of

Primatologists, 52(2), 93-99.

Mecklenburg, L., & Romeike, A. (2016). Recommended diagnostic approach to documenting

and reporting skin findings of nonhuman primates from regulatory toxicity

studies. Toxicologic pathology, 44(4), 591-600.

White, C. L., & Dusek, R. J. (2015). Wildlife specimen collection, preservation, and

shipment (No. 15-C4). US Geological Survey.