Monkey animal model for study of mycoplasmal infections of the urogenital tract.

Various experimental monkey models have been used for the study of mycoplasmal infections of the urogenital tract. Direct inoculation of Mycoplasma hominis and Ureaplasma urealyticum into the urethra of male monkeys resulted in successful reisolation of the organisms from the urethra without giving rise to signs of urethritis during the observation period. The organisms were inoculated into the posterior fornix of the vagina of female grivet monkeys. During the ten-week observation period, there was no clinical, histologic, or serologic evidence of lower genital tract infection. Inoculation of M. hominis and M. fermentans into the upper genital tract of grivet monkeys produced parametritis and salpingitis. It was concluded that grivet monkeys are apparently suitable for study of the pathogenicity of genital mycoplasms.