Respiratory pathogens in non-human primates with special reference to Corynebacterium ulcerans.

An investigation of 272 non-human primates (75 Macacca cynomolgus, 97 Macacca mulatta and 100 Cercopithecus aethiops) revealed a high incidence of respiratory disease caused by Corynebacterium ulcerans, Staphylococci, Diplococci and Streptococci. Escherichia coli was also found as a secondary invader. Most of the infections occurred during winter in Macaca cynomolgus and were caused by Corynebacterium ulcerans and Diplococcus pneumoniae. The C. ulcerans strains were phage type VI G. A phage type III C strain was isolated from a Macacca mulatta. The high incidence of C. ulcerans suggests that this organism plays a significant role in the pathology of respiratory disease in the non-human primate.