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Significance of Imaging Features of Alveolar Echinococcosis in Studies on Nonhuman Primates

In this study, we report the imaging findings in two Japanese monkeys (Macaca fuscata) diagnosed with alveolar echinococcosis. Both monkeys were treated with albendazole for 10 years, without surgery. Radiography, computed tomography, and contrast-enhanced ultrasonography were performed under general anesthesia. This is the first report on contrast-enhanced ultrasonographic imaging for alveolar echinococcosis wherein perflubutane was used as the contrast medium. The findings of the imaging analyses were similar to those reported for alveolar echinococcosis in humans, such as snowflake sign and worm-eaten sign. In addition, the serology correlated well with the imaging data in these two monkeys. Therefore, we propose that the imaging findings of alveolar echinococcosis in nonhuman primates may be used to accumulate data on this condition in human alveolar echinococcosis.

Received December 17, 2008. Accepted for publication May 5, 2009.

Acknowledgments: We thank Masanori Onishi and Kazutoshi Yuhara (Obihiro Zoo) for their great cooperation in the realization of this study. The excellent technical assistance of Shoko Doi (Obihiro University of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine) is greatly acknowledged. We also thank Hideyuki Nakahara (Toshiba Medical Supply Co., Ltd.) for assistance in ultrasonographic image acquisition.

Financial support: This study was partially supported by Grant-in-Aid for Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS) Fellows; awarded to Miori Kishimoto.

^* Address correspondence to Kazutaka Yamada, Department of Applied Veterinary Medicine, Obihiro University of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, West 2-sen 11, Inada-cho, Obihiro, Hokkaido 080-8555, Japan. E-mail: kyamada{at}obihiro.ac.jp

Authors’ addresses: Miori Kishimoto, Kazutaka Yamada, Junichiro Shimizu, Ki-Ja Lee, and Yoh-Ichi Miyake, Department of Applied Veterinary Medicine, Obihiro University of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, West2-sen 11, Inada-cho, Obihiro, Hokkaido 080-8555, Japan, Tel: +81-155-49-5395, E-mails: miori{at}mx6.et.tiki.ne.jp and kyamada{at}obihiro.ac.jp. Kimiaki Yamano, Department of Biological Science, Hokkaido Institute of Public Health, North 19, West 12, Kita-ku, Sapporo, Hokkaido 060-0819, Japan. Nobuyuki Kobayashi and Satoshi Fujimoto, Obihiro Zoo, Midorigaoka 2, Obihiro, Hokkaido 080-0846, Japan, Tel: +81-155-24-2437, E-mail: zoo{at}city.obihiro.hokkaido.jp. Toshiroh Iwasaki, Department of Veterinary Internal Medicine, Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology, Saiwai-cho, 3-5-8, Fuchu, Tokyo 183-8509, Japan.

Reprint requests: Kazutaka Yamada, Department of Applied Veterinary Medicine, Obihiro University of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, West 2-sen 11, Inada-cho, Obihiro, Hokkaido 080-8555, Japan, E-mail: kyamada{at}obihiro.ac.jp.