Age-Related Diffuse Chronic Telogen Effluvium-Type Alopecia in Female Squirrel Monkeys (Saimiri Boliviensis Boliviensis)

In 2005, a study was conducted on diffuse alopecia in female squirrel monkeys (Saimiri boliviensis boliviensis). The study involved 100 female and 10 male monkeys. The results showed that 65 of the female monkeys had diffuse alopecia, with varying degrees of severity. The alopecia group had a mean age of 9.6 years, compared to 4.7 years in the normal group. The alopecia group also had a higher parity (4.2) compared to the normal group (2.0). The trichogram showed 20.8% of telogen hairs in the alopecia group compared to 9.5% in the control group. The hair density in the alopecia group was 52.8/cm2, compared to 79.6/cm2 in the control group. Skin biopsies showed increased telogen follicles in the affected monkeys, with no fibrosis or inflammation. The findings suggested that the alopecia was predominantly age-related and consistent with chronic telogen effluvium (CTE). The study concluded that CTE in female squirrel monkeys could serve as an animal model for human diffuse alopecia.