SENSITIVITY TO LISTERIOSIS IN ELDERLY RHESUS MONKEYS

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This subproject is one of many research subprojects utilizing the resources provided by a Center grant funded by NIH/NCRR. The subproject and investigator (PI) may have received primary funding from another NIH source, and thus could be represented in other CRISP entries. The institution listed is for the Center, which is not necessarily the institution for the investigator. Infection with Listeria monocytogenes in humans results in listeriosis. Listeriosis usually occurs in ?high risk groups? such as pregnant women, the elderly and immunocompromised individuals. When the elderly contract listeriosis, it can result in meningitis and/or death. The concern with the elderly is particularly a problem because it is not clear when or how the elderly become more susceptible to listeriosis than a healthy adult. Our previous two studies in pregnant and non-pregnant reproductive age rhesus monkeys showed that the symptoms and course of the disease is the same in humans and rhesus monkeys. The objectives of this project are to 1) determine the changes in the immune system of elderly monkeys in response to exposure to Listeria monocytogenes, 2) compare immune system responses from elderly monkeys to data gathered in previous experiments using reproductive age and pregnant monkeys, 3) analyse immune parameters including T cells and IgA in blood which occur after exposure to Listeria monocytogenes in elderly rhesus monkeys. This project was recently initiated. To date, baseline blood samples have been collected to grow individual cell lines for immunology testing. Immunological tests will be conducted on blood from all animals both before and after treatment to detect any immunological changes due to infection with Listeria monocytogenes. Several animals have been treated with Listeria monocytogenes, but the data are not yet ready to be analyzed. This project will help identify the immune system response of the elderly to Listeria monocytogenes. Establishing the elderly rhesus monkey as a model for listeriosis will provide scientists with an experimental model to develop more accurate treatments or prevention strategies for listeriosis in elderly.