CHRONIC PSEUDOMONAS-AERUGINOSA ENDOBRONCHITIS IN RHESUS-MONKEYS .2. AHISTOPATHOLOGIC ANALYSIS

We have recently established a rhesus monkey model of chronic Pseudomo nas aeruginosa (PA) endobronchitis by bronchoscopic instillation of PA -embedded agar beads. All experimental animals developed chronic neutr ophilic endobronchitis similar to chronic PA endobronchitis in cystic fibrosis (CF). Histopathologic studies further confirmed similarities to chronic PA endobronchitis in CF, including marked peribronchial inf lammation, epithelial damage, presence of degraded cilia and ciliary a bnormalities, appearance of PA bacterial clusters, mucosal hyperplasia , goblet cell hypertrophy/hypersecretion, airway obstruction, alveolar abnormalities, bronchiectasis, and fibrosis.