Antioxidant status in a squirrel monkey (Saimiri sciureus) with chronic pancreatitis and degenerative myopathy

A squirrel monkey (Saimiri sciureus) presented with wasting, vomiting and d iarrhoea. Hematology revealed elevation of creatinine phosphokinase, lactic dehydrogenase, alanine aminotransferase, amylase and lipase, together with azotaemia and hypoalbuminaemia. Prominent findings were chronic pancreatit is with acinar and ductal plugs, granulomatous and necrotizing peripancreat ic steatitis, degenerative myopathy, testicular atrophy, candidiasis and ba cterial and necrotizing glossitis. Antioxidant analyses revealed low concen trations of serum vitamin E (and apparently A), hepatic selenium and hair z inc. Pancreatitis may have caused malabsorption and maldigestion, associate d with deficiency of multiple antioxidants. (C) 2000 Harcourt Publishers Lt d.