Isolation of M. pneumoniae from monkeys (Presbitus cristata)

Monkeys of the species Presbitus cristata died of severe interstitial pneumonia 20-60 days after their transportation. The carcases were examined for the presence of mycoplasmas. Thirty-six out of 65 samples obtained from the liver, spleen, kidney, lung, lymph nodes, pharynx, bronchi and blood of 13 monkeys contained mycoplasmas biochemically and serologically identical with M. pneumoniae. The isolated strains were able to elicit a rise in body temperature and an elevation in the number of leucocytes in blood as well as development of interstitial pneumonia, colonization of the inner organs by the mycoplasmas and a serological response in the experimentally infected guinea-pigs.