[A case of fowl cholera (Pasteurella multocida) in six-week-old broilers (author's transl)]

An outbreak of fowl cholera in a broiler-house with 6,000 six-week-old broilers is reported. The birds were affected with respiratory disease when they were four weeks old. Eight days after recovery, at an age of six weeks, 50 per cent of the birds were severly ill. The birds were reluctant to move and unable to drink. Four hundred birds died in one day. Post-mortem examination revealed marked swelling of the kidney and arthritis of all the hocks and knee joints in all fifteen birds studied. Pure cultures of Pasteurella multocida were isolated from all joints, the heart, the liver and the kidney. Treatment with chloramphenicol resulted in recovery of the birds which were slaughtered under the supervision of the Veterinary Services of the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries in the Netherlands. The disease was not observed in the two other broiler-houses on the same farm, which housed 11,000 and 12,500 broilers of the same age. The findings are discussed.

The isolation of Mycoplasms synoviae from chickens with infectious synovitis and air-sacculitis in the Republic of South Africa

Mycoplasma synoviae was isolated from the trachea of chickens showing either typical infectious synovitis lesions or air-sacculitis. M. synoviae was identified by means of the direct plate fluorescent antibody technique and its growth-dependence on nicotine-amide-adenine dinucleotide. This is the first documented report on the isolation and identification of M. synoviae in the Republic of South Africa.

HB-antigen in serum and synovialis in acute hepatitis with and without polyarthritis

In 27 patients suffering from acute hepatitis serum and synovial-fluid were tested for HB-Ag. It was detected in the serum in 19 cases, in the synovial fluid in 2 cases, but never in both serum and synovial-fluid. HB-Ag was not found in 6 patients. Polyarthritis was seen in 10 cases; 5 of them carried HB-Ag in the serum, 2 in the synovial-fluid. A hepatitis B however, was also suspected in the 3 cases with polyarthritis lacking HB-Ag. The results suggest that virus B may persist in joints too and that polyarthritis associated with acute hepatitis is coupled to an infection with virus B.

The isolation of Mycoplasm hyosynoviae and exposure of pigs to experimental infection

Arginine-utilising mycoplasmas isolated from the pneumonic lungs of 4 pigs were identified as M. hyosynoviae by their growth characteristics, biochemical activity and serological similarity to each other and to 2 type strains of M. hyosynoviae in growth inhibition tests. A purified culture of one M. hyosynoviae isolate was inoculated intravenously into 3 pigs which were killed 9 days later. Although arthritis was not observed clinically, M. hyosynoviae was isolated from 8 of 9 joints cultured, the tonsils and retropharyngeal lymph nodes of all 3 pigs and the lungs of 2 pigs. No histopathological changes were observed in synovial membranes of the joints cultured or lungs but severe depletion of lymphocytes in the cortex of lymphoid follicles in lymph nodes and tonsils was observed.

Mycoplasm suipneumoniae and Mycoplasma flocculare in comparative pathogenicity studies

Three field strains of Mycoplasma suipneumoniae each inoculated into 3 gnotobiotic piglets produced macro- and microscopic lung lesions typical of enzootic pneumonia in 8 of the animals. Under similar conditions 3 strains of M. flocculare produced typical macroscopic lung lesions in just 1 out of 9 animals. It is therefore concluded that M. flocculare is not of primary etiologic importance in the porcine enzootic pneumonia complex.

The frequency of successful reisolation from nasal cavities, lungs, and other tissues indicated that the lungs are the sole natural habitat for M. suipneumoniae, while for M. flocculare lungs as well as nasal cavities should be regarded as the natural habitat.

None of the organisms apparently spread via the blood stream. M. flocculare, but not M. suipneumoniae, induced histologic alterations of the nasal mucosa.

Arthritis in pigs induced by dietary factors. Microbiologic, clinical and histologic studies

Eight-week-old pigs fed a protein-rich diet ad libitum developed an abnormal intestinal microbial flora within 1 week. The main feature was a significant increase in the number of atypical Clostridium perfringens, type A. In the first week after the change of diet, the pigs showed disturbances of movement and swollen peripheral joints. The ESR was concomitantly elevated and later on hypergammaglobulinaemia with increased antibody titres to Cl. perfringens antigens were noted. Joint deformities were observed after some months.

The joint lesions consisted of synovitis with a cell-rich exudate. The lesions of the synovial tissue were characterized by proliferation of the synovial lining cells with villous hypertrophy and highly vascularized granulation tissue containing accumulations of lymphoid cells. Pannus formation and erosion of joint cartilage were seen in some animals. Bacteriological examination, including search for mycoplasmas, was negative. Subcutaneous nodules of rheumatoid nature were also found. Signs of proliferative glomerulonephritis were demonstrated in most of the animals. Different pathogenic aspects are discussed with regard to the direct influence of Cl. perfringens antigens on the joint tissues, circulating antigen–antibody complexes and cell-bound antibodies. As the same abnormal intestinal flora and immunological reaction to intestinal Cl. perfringens have been found in human rheumatoid disease, this diet-induced pig arthritis of remarkably similar clinical and histological characteristics is of special interest.

Studies on the bacterial floral of condemmed portions from arthritic hogs

Studies were conducted on the bacterial floral of 122 excised joints and related iliac and inguinal lymph nodes, 118 whole hams and 42 shoulders from condemned arthritic hog carcasses. Erysipelothrix insidiosa was isolated from 15% of the joints and lymph nodes, 20% of the hams, and 33% of the shoulders. Beta-hemolytic streptococci were recovered from 12% of the joints and lymph nodes, 49% of the hams, and 54% of the shoulders. Staphylococcus aureus was found in 3% of the joints and lymph nodes, 16% of the hams and 14% of the shoulders. Gross tissue changes were not pathognomonic for any causative organism.

The production of pneumonia with or without pleurisy in gnotobiotic piglets with pure cultures of strain TR 32 of Mycoplasma hyorhinis

Nine gnotobiotic piglets, when 8-9 days old, were exposed to an aerosol of strain TR32 of Mycoplasma hyorhinis and killed at intervals from 14 to 37 days after infection. The aerosol of M. hyorhinis caused bronchopneumonia in 1 pig, pleurisy alone in 2 pigs, pleuropneumonia in 2 pigs and no lung changes in 4 pigs. M. hyorhinis was re-isolated from the lungs of all infected pigs, irrespective of the presence or absence of lesions, though it was only isolated from the serosa and joints when lesions were present. Four control pigs exposed to aerosols of mycoplasma medium had no lesions.

Heterogeneity among strains of Mycoplasma granularum and identification of Mycoplasma hyosynoviae, sp. n

Twelve filtrable, pleomorphic organisms isolated from swine joints and respiratory tracts had typical colonial and microscopic characteristics of mycoplasmas. They resisted penicillin and did not revert to cell wall-producing bacterial forms in media devoid of bacterial inhibitors. The morphological and growth characteristics of these mycoplasmas were similar to those described previously for Mycoplasma granularum. However, a new name, M. hyosynoviae, is proposed for them since they differed biologically, serologically, and electrophoretically from the prototype strain of M. granularum. M. hyosynoviae required sterols, was stimulated by gastric mucin, and metabolized arginine; however, it did not metabolize urea, ferment glucose, or reduce tetrazolium. The organism produced "film and spots" on horse serum-supplemented medium and produced alpha hemolysis of guinea pig and sheep erythrocytes; however, it did not digest serum, produce phosphatase, or hemadsorb guinea pig or swine erythrocytes. M. hyosynoviae was distinguished from three other swine mycoplasmas, M. granularum, M. hyorhinis, and M. laidlawii, by means of acrylamide gel electrophoresis, growth inhibition, metabolic inhibition, and immunodiffusion techniques. It was also serologically and electrophoretically distinct from 13 additional non-swine mycoplasmas which require sterols and metabolize arginine.

Adjuvant-activity of "diphtheroid" organisms isolated from the joints of cases of rheumatoid arthritis

Two isolates of `diphtheroid' organisms from the joints of cases of rheumatoid arthritis were found to possess a surface network of filaments (125 Å wide) resembling the adjuvant-active peptidoglycolipid filaments of mycobacteria and some Nocardia spp. Tests for adjuvant activity in guinea-pigs showed that both isolates possessed the ability to induce delayed-type hypersensitivity to a simultaneously injected immunogen (ovalbumin) and to increase serum anti-ovalbumin levels (in particular γ₂-immunoglobulin). The relationship of adjuvant-active bacilli to the pathogenesis of rheumatoid arthritis is discussed.

Immunological response in cows to Mycoplasma bovigenitalium, strain 1836

Four cows were inoculated via the udder with the 1836 strain ofMycoplasma bovigenitalium. The serological response was investigated using the complement-fixation and serum plate agglutination tests. A heterologous response toM. mycoideswas observed, associated with an increase in the anti-γ-globulin titres in the cow's serum. The heterologous response persisted in one cow for 6 weeks after infection. The nature of the immunoglobulin response was characterized by density gradient centrifugation, and by mercaptoethanol and rivanol treatment of the serum and was found to consist entirely of 19 S γ-globulins.

TheMycoplasmapersisted in the udder for the 18 weeks duration of the experiment. TheMycoplasmawas not isolated from the blood. One of the cows became lame with swollen joints;Bacillus cereuswas isolated from the joints and blood.

The chronicity of inflammation and its significance in rheumatoid arthritis

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