Spontaneous Waterhouse-Friderichsen syndrome in a gang-housed baboon.

Waterhouse-Friderichsen syndrome can cause acute death in the baboon without specific signs. Furthermore, this syndrome could result from stress-related intestinal permeability changes that allow macromolecules and/or microbiological entities to enter the systemic circulation. The resulting sepsis could cause adrenocortical insufficiency, hypotension and shock leading to death.