[Immunology and joint disease (author's transl)]

The present view is concerned with a number of joint diseases occurring in man and pets, the pathogenesis of which is (partly) immunological. This review is preceded by the discussion of a relevant part of immunology. The diagnostic laboratory procedures dealt with in the paper consist in diagnostic routine tests performed in (medical) clinico-immunological laboratories. With a few exceptions, it appears to be possible to establish a diagnosis of similar diseases in animals using comparable methods. A reliable diagnosis of these joint diseases in pets is not only of importance from the point of view of comparative nosology, but may also revive interest in the animal as a model of these forms of disease. Finally, human so-called seronegative spondylo-arthropathy associated with the presence of particular tissue antigen, is briefly discussed. Similar associations in pets such as dogs should also be studied.