Tuberculosis should be considered and further testing performed on animals that have unexplained weight loss or nonhealing wounds. When feasible, other adjuvants should be used to avoid ameliorating the usefulness of the best test available for monitoring NHPs for tuberculosis. If the NHP is euthanized before its next tuberculin test is scheduled, there are no additional requirements. Otherwise, the NHP is to be weighed monthly to detect any weight loss, and, at the time the NHP would normally be tuberculin tested, other examinations are to be performed for the detection of tuberculosis. Radiographs Chest radiographs may be used as an additional test procedure but cannot be used as the only screening procedure.
Chest radiographs can be difficult to interpret especially in macaque species.
Protection of Personnel PM 3044-2 addresses this issue and is to be followed including specific mucous membrane protection procedures addressed in SOPs at each facility. NIH Manual 3044-2 states that NIH employees, special volunteers, guest workers, visitors and contract personnel shall comply with procedures set forth in this policy. Additionally, transient visitors must be free of signs of active disease. Biosafety precautions must be taken when dealing with a diagnosed tuberculous NHP, a NHP that is a tuberculosis suspect, and when collecting and handling samples to be cultured for tubercle bacilli. When 5 tests have been administered with no reactions, the quarantine may be terminated except that NHPs are not placed in or removed from the room until a tuberculin test is administered four weeks after the last of the 5 test with no reactions being observed.