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

Abstract

SUMMARY: Nine gnotobiotic piglets, when 8–9 days old, were exposed to an aerosol of strain TR 32 ofMycoplasma hyorhinisand killed at intervals from 14 to 37 days after infection. The aerosol ofM. hyorhiniscaused bronchopneumonia in 1 pig, pleurisy alone in 2 pigs, pleuropneumonia in 2 pigs and no lung changes in 4 pigs.M. hyorhiniswas 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.