Conjunctival flora, Schirmer's tear test, intraocular pressure, and conjunctival cytology in neotropical primates from Salvador, Brazil.

BACKGROUND

This study aimed to establish reference values for selected ophthalmic diagnostic tests in healthy neotropical primates from Salvador, Brazil.

METHODS

A total of 73 intact adults, including Callithrix jacchus (n = 31), Callithrix penicillata (n = 8), Cebus sp. (n = 22), and Cebus xanthosternos (n = 9) were used to evaluate the normal conjunctival bacterial flora. Cebus xanthosternos (n = 12) were used to evaluate tear production with Schirmer's tear test (STT), intraocular pressure (IOP), and conjunctival cytology.

RESULTS

For all animals evaluated, Gram-positive bacteria were predominant. Results of the diagnostic tests in Cebus xanthosternos were as follows: STT: 14.92 ± 5.46 mm/minutes, IOP: 19.62 ± 4.57 mmHg, and conjunctival cytology revealed intermediate squamous epithelial cells in great quantities.

CONCLUSIONS

These ophthalmic reference values will be particularly useful to diagnose discrete or unusual pathological changes in the neotropical primates eye.