Feasibility of Field Oral Health Assessment in Free-Ranging Rhesus Macaques (Macaca mulatta) on Cayo Santiago.

Authors

Jonathan Y An, Johnny Hudson, Andrew Nordlie, Ryan O'Donnell, Josué E Negrón-Del Valle, Daniel Phillips, Nahiri Rivera, Angelina Ruiz Lambides, Noah Snyder-Mackler

Published in

American journal of primatology. Volume 88. Issue 10. Pages e70210.

Abstract

Free-ranging rhesus macaques (Macaca mulatta) on Cayo Santiago provide a uniquely characterized translational model for periodontal disease, supported by decades of demographic and genetic data. To assess the feasibility of conducting comprehensive periodontal examinations, oral biospecimen collection, and portable intraoral radiography in free-ranging macaques during a 5-day pilot field campaign. Eighteen macaques (7 males, 11 females; ages 9-23 years) were evaluated under ketamine/xylazine anesthesia. Periodontal charting (probing depth, clinical attachment level, bleeding on probing), multimodal biospecimen collection (gingival crevicular fluid, tongue swabs, supragingival plaque, whole saliva), and portable intraoral radiography (KaVo NOMAD Pro 2) were performed within an existing multi-station sedation workflow. Full periodontal assessments were completed in 18/22 animals (82%). Mean probing depths were 2.0-2.2 mm, with significantly greater depths in aged animals (≥ 15 years; p < 0.05). GCF RNA and protein yields were inadequate for planned analyses. Tongue swabs from 15 animals yielded sufficient protein for 37-analyte multiplex profiling; 31 analytes met the minimum criterion for age-group comparisons. Exploratory analysis identified higher CD40L and IL-8/CXCL8 in aged animals and modest difference in TNF-α. Age-by-sex interactions were identified for IL-8/CXCL8 and IP-10/CXCL10. Radiographs showed age-related alveolar bone loss without caries. Comprehensive oral health assessment is feasible in this field setting. Earlier dental-station placement and improved GCF collection are needed. Tongue swabs offer a practical specimen for inflammatory profiling, supporting future longitudinal oral health phenotyping within the established Cayo Santiago infrastructure.

PMID:
42831491
Bibliographic data and abstract were imported from PubMed on 05 Oct 2026.

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