Experimental Production of Respiratory Tract Infection with Mycoplasma pneumoniae in Rhesus Monkeys

Abstract

Knowledge of the pathogenesis of pneumonia due to Mycoplasma pneumoniae has been derived primarily from experimental infection of rodents. As part of an effort to establish a model with a closer resemblance to man, three seronegative, young, adult rhesus monkeys (Macaca mulatta) were inoculated with M. pneumoniae (10(7.4) cfu per animal) by oropharyngeal administration of coarse-particle aerosol. Five to six days after exposure of the animals, cultures obtained from the upper respiratory tract were positive for M. pneumoniae. Each animal subsequently developed a serologic response, as determined by complement fixation, complement-mediated killing, and tetrazolium-reduction inhibition techniques. Infection was subclinical, and serial chest roentgenograms failed to disclose pneumonia throughout the course of infection. Blood cell counts and titers of cold agglutinins remained unchanged. Althought M. pneumoniae was recovered from the upper respiratory tract of two monkeys for 50 days, there was no evidence of transmission of infection to cage-mate controls inoculated with broth.

Respiratory System Diseases of Nonhuman Primates

“…Reports of infection in nonhuman primates have been primarily on experimental infections. Rhesus can be infected, but without clinical signs (Friedlaender et al, 1976). There was no transmission between infected and control animals, although the organism persisted in infected rhesus for up to 50 days.…”

Immunoblot analyses of chimpanzee sera after infection and after immunization and challenge with Mycoplasma pneumoniae

“…pneumoniae. M. pneumoniae PI-1428 was used previously to experimentally infect guinea pigs (11,12), hamsters (2, 3), Cercopithecus (African green) and Macaca (rhesus) monkeys (28), human volunteers (19,48,49), and chimpanzees (4, 5). Strain PI-1428 was also shown to attach avidly to cell cultures (14,17).…”

“…Although not determined, the mode of transmission was probably (i) an aerosol from an inoculated, infected chimpanzee to a control; (ii) an aerosol from an inoculated, infected chimpanzee through a caretaker to a control; or (iii) an instrument fomite, such as a contaminated bronchoscope. In the monkey animal model, Friedlaender et al (28) reported that control monkeys housed together with cage mates experimentally infected with M. pneumoniae did not become colonized (28). This suggests that chimpanzees may be more susceptible to infection with M pneumoniae than monkeys are.…”

Real-time detection of Mycoplasma pneumoniae in respiratory samples with an internal processing control

“…Mycoplasma pneumoniae is a common cause of communityacquired pneumonia transmitted by aerosol or close contact (Friedlaender et al, 1976). Major outbreaks occur periodically and the severity of clinical symptoms ranges from asymptomatic to pronounced pneumonia (Clyde, 1993).…”