How Primates Are Aiding the Fight Against COVID-19 in Louisiana
2021-06-17
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1A research center in Louisiana is examining COVID-19 through the use of monkeys.
2By studying the monkeys and their tissues, researchers hope to learn more about the disease.
3There are 5,000 monkeys at the Tulane National Research Center.
4The research center is near a small Louisiana town north of New Orleans.
5Most of the primates are a sort of monkey called rhesus macaques.
6They are designated for use in scientific research, including experiments for COVID-19.
7The research center has high-level, biosafety laboratories that are able to control biological threat agents like anthrax, an infectious bacterium.
8It was well-positioned to quickly change to COVID-19 research when the coronavirus pandemic hit.
9Skip Bohm is a director and chief animal medical officer at the Tulane center.
10Bohm said the primates' DNA and physiological make-up makes them ideal models for human comparison when studying diseases.
11Bohm told Reuters non-human primates are really important to understand the disease and how it affects an organism.
12They are also important for comparing outcomes like treatments or vaccinations.
13Rhesus macaques are the primate most commonly used for scientific research.
14They make up the majority of the center's colony.
15They also make up the majority of the 200 adult animals used in its coronavirus experiments over the past year.
16The National Academy of Sciences scientific journal published one study by the center in February.
17The study found older, overweight humans with a more severe COVID-19 infection breathed out more liquid droplets.
18Due to this, they spread the disease more than others.
19Chad Roy is one of the writers on the study.
20He is also the center's director of infectious disease aerobiology.
21Aerobiology is the study of pollutants or viruses that travel in the air.
22He said primates were at the center of this study.
23In the future, the center plans to study what is called "long COVID."
24This happens when a patient remains unwell long after first becoming infected.
25This effects about 10 percent of patients.
26The center's director Jay Rapport said, "there are many different therapeutics that are coming online that need to be tested, and with the network that we have, we can compare one treatment to another."
27He was describing the center's role in organizing the work of the seven United States' primate research centers on COVID-19 research.
28Once experiments end, the Tulane center will humanely kill the monkeys for tissue collection.
29This permits researchers to study COVID-19's effects on the whole body.
30Kathy Guillermo work with the laboratory investigations at the People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, also known as PETA.
31PETA is a nonprofit organization that fights to protect animal rights.
32Guillermo said primates should not be used for testing.
33"They wouldn't have to kill them if they didn't use them," she said.
34"What we're going to learn of value is going to be what we learn from human beings," she added.
35I'm Gregory Stachel.
1A research center in Louisiana is examining COVID-19 through the use of monkeys. By studying the monkeys and their tissues, researchers hope to learn more about the disease. 2There are 5,000 monkeys at the Tulane National Research Center. The research center is near a small Louisiana town north of New Orleans. 3Most of the primates are a sort of monkey called rhesus macaques. They are designated for use in scientific research, including experiments for COVID-19. 4The research center has high-level, biosafety laboratories that are able to control biological threat agents like anthrax, an infectious bacterium. It was well-positioned to quickly change to COVID-19 research when the coronavirus pandemic hit. 5Skip Bohm is a director and chief animal medical officer at the Tulane center. Bohm said the primates' DNA and physiological make-up makes them ideal models for human comparison when studying diseases. 6Bohm told Reuters non-human primates are really important to understand the disease and how it affects an organism. They are also important for comparing outcomes like treatments or vaccinations. 7Rhesus macaques are the primate most commonly used for scientific research. They make up the majority of the center's colony. They also make up the majority of the 200 adult animals used in its coronavirus experiments over the past year. 8The National Academy of Sciences scientific journal published one study by the center in February. The study found older, overweight humans with a more severe COVID-19 infection breathed out more liquid droplets. Due to this, they spread the disease more than others. 9Chad Roy is one of the writers on the study. He is also the center's director of infectious disease aerobiology. Aerobiology is the study of pollutants or viruses that travel in the air. He said primates were at the center of this study. 10In the future, the center plans to study what is called "long COVID." This happens when a patient remains unwell long after first becoming infected. This effects about 10 percent of patients. 11The center's director Jay Rapport said, "there are many different therapeutics that are coming online that need to be tested, and with the network that we have, we can compare one treatment to another." 12He was describing the center's role in organizing the work of the seven United States' primate research centers on COVID-19 research. 13Once experiments end, the Tulane center will humanely kill the monkeys for tissue collection. This permits researchers to study COVID-19's effects on the whole body. 14Kathy Guillermo work with the laboratory investigations at the People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, also known as PETA. PETA is a nonprofit organization that fights to protect animal rights. Guillermo said primates should not be used for testing. 15"They wouldn't have to kill them if they didn't use them," she said. "What we're going to learn of value is going to be what we learn from human beings," she added. 16I'm Gregory Stachel. 17Nathan Frandino reported this story for Reuters. Gregory Stachel adapted it for VOA Learning English. Susan Shand was the editor. 18_________________________________________________________ 19Words in This Story 20monkey - n. a sort of animal that is closely related to apes and humans and that has a long tail and usually lives in trees 21droplet - n. a very small drop of liquid 22primate - n. any member of the group of animals that includes human beings, apes, and monkeys 23therapeutics - n. a branch of medicine that deals with the ways to treat illnesses