Recent Advances in the Etiology, Diagnosis, and Treatment of Marmoset Wasting Syndrome

One of the primary challenges encountered in managing captive callitrichids is a group of gastrointestinal disorders that are collectively known as Marmoset Wasting Syndrome (MWS). Unfortunately, MWS is still not well understood. It is suggested that MWS has a multifactorial etiology; stress, infect...

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Main Authors: Jaco Bakker, Remco A. Nederlof, Job Stumpel, Melissa A. de la Garza
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2025-02-01
Series:Veterinary Sciences
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Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2306-7381/12/3/203
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author Jaco Bakker
Remco A. Nederlof
Job Stumpel
Melissa A. de la Garza
author_facet Jaco Bakker
Remco A. Nederlof
Job Stumpel
Melissa A. de la Garza
author_sort Jaco Bakker
collection DOAJ
description One of the primary challenges encountered in managing captive callitrichids is a group of gastrointestinal disorders that are collectively known as Marmoset Wasting Syndrome (MWS). Unfortunately, MWS is still not well understood. It is suggested that MWS has a multifactorial etiology; stress, infection, malnutrition, malabsorption, and enteritis or colitis may be associated with MWS. Usually, animals demonstrate more than one of the following clinical signs: progressive weight loss, alopecia, chronic diarrhea, muscle atrophy, hypoproteinemia, and anemia. Recent advances in diagnostics, mostly noninvasive fecal and urine tests, yielded promising results. Good treatment results have been achieved with the administration of glucocorticoids and tranexamic acid, although no cure has been found yet. Probiotics and gel diets also demonstrated to be potentially useful. However, once animals are affected by MWS, treatments eventually become ineffective, and animals will inevitably require euthanasia to prevent further suffering. Preventative measures should be aimed at reducing stress and optimizing housing, husbandry, and diets. More research is warranted to elucidate the pathogenesis of MWS in captive callitrichids and to refine diagnostic and treatment methods.
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spelling doaj-art-ea867cbb84654742bd29971fe46a34692025-08-20T02:10:25ZengMDPI AGVeterinary Sciences2306-73812025-02-0112320310.3390/vetsci12030203Recent Advances in the Etiology, Diagnosis, and Treatment of Marmoset Wasting SyndromeJaco Bakker0Remco A. Nederlof1Job Stumpel2Melissa A. de la Garza3Animal Science Department, Biomedical Primate Research Centre, 2288 GJ Rijswijk, The NetherlandsIndependent Researcher, 2861 XZ Bergambacht, The NetherlandsWILDLANDS Adventure Zoo Emmen, 7801 BA Emmen, The NetherlandsMichale E. Keeling Center for Comparative Medicine and Research, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Bastrop, TX 78602, USAOne of the primary challenges encountered in managing captive callitrichids is a group of gastrointestinal disorders that are collectively known as Marmoset Wasting Syndrome (MWS). Unfortunately, MWS is still not well understood. It is suggested that MWS has a multifactorial etiology; stress, infection, malnutrition, malabsorption, and enteritis or colitis may be associated with MWS. Usually, animals demonstrate more than one of the following clinical signs: progressive weight loss, alopecia, chronic diarrhea, muscle atrophy, hypoproteinemia, and anemia. Recent advances in diagnostics, mostly noninvasive fecal and urine tests, yielded promising results. Good treatment results have been achieved with the administration of glucocorticoids and tranexamic acid, although no cure has been found yet. Probiotics and gel diets also demonstrated to be potentially useful. However, once animals are affected by MWS, treatments eventually become ineffective, and animals will inevitably require euthanasia to prevent further suffering. Preventative measures should be aimed at reducing stress and optimizing housing, husbandry, and diets. More research is warranted to elucidate the pathogenesis of MWS in captive callitrichids and to refine diagnostic and treatment methods.https://www.mdpi.com/2306-7381/12/3/203marmoset wasting syndromeweight lossalopeciadiarrheahypoproteinemiacallitrichids
spellingShingle Jaco Bakker
Remco A. Nederlof
Job Stumpel
Melissa A. de la Garza
Recent Advances in the Etiology, Diagnosis, and Treatment of Marmoset Wasting Syndrome
Veterinary Sciences
marmoset wasting syndrome
weight loss
alopecia
diarrhea
hypoproteinemia
callitrichids
title Recent Advances in the Etiology, Diagnosis, and Treatment of Marmoset Wasting Syndrome
title_full Recent Advances in the Etiology, Diagnosis, and Treatment of Marmoset Wasting Syndrome
title_fullStr Recent Advances in the Etiology, Diagnosis, and Treatment of Marmoset Wasting Syndrome
title_full_unstemmed Recent Advances in the Etiology, Diagnosis, and Treatment of Marmoset Wasting Syndrome
title_short Recent Advances in the Etiology, Diagnosis, and Treatment of Marmoset Wasting Syndrome
title_sort recent advances in the etiology diagnosis and treatment of marmoset wasting syndrome
topic marmoset wasting syndrome
weight loss
alopecia
diarrhea
hypoproteinemia
callitrichids
url https://www.mdpi.com/2306-7381/12/3/203
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