The Isolation of Organisms of the Pleuropneumonia Group from Dogs

Abstract

SUMMARY: The finding of a pleuropenumonia-like organism associated with infertility and epididymitis in a dog led to the examination of throat and vaginal swabs from all the animals in a breeding kennel. Pleuropneumonia-like organisms were isolated from the majority of samples. Strains differed in colonial appearances, and a classification into types based on these differences was confirmed by the serological demonstration that each type was antigenically distinct. Nearly all the strains belong to one of three types, provisionally called α, β and γ. Each type was regarded as a distinct species of the pleuropneumonia group, and its biological properties were studied.