DOI: 10.36347/sajb.2014.v02i06.007

Pages: 393-397

Within the last decades hamadryas baboons have been extensively used as experimental models for a different type of studies in the biomedical research centers. Balantidium coli a protozoan parasite is commonly infects human and animals such as primates worldwide. Whoever, investigating zoonotic diseases and common infections of these non-human primates to man has a medical significance. This protozoa is usually occurs in the intestinal and it is well known cause of intestinal infection and dysentery in primates. Whoever, a case of balantidiasis complicated by severe pulmonary infection and resulting in iron deficiency anemia has not, to our knowledge, been described previously in baboons in the literature. We present a case of lung involvement and iron deficiency in baboons from Saudi Arabia. This case underlines that Balantidium coli should also be considered as a possible cause of extra-intestinal disorders and considered as part of the differential diagnosis of respiratory disorders in baboons in addition to the dysenteric form.