Severe polyarthritis in a rhesus monkey: suggested Mycoplasma etiology.

A female juvenile rhesus monkey experienced a 3-wk period of vague lameness and limb disuse, followed by a severe attack of acute polyarthritis resulting in marked radiographic changes. The acute condition lasted about 3 wk and was followed by a chronic but active condition lasting another 13 mo until the animal was killed. Although a causative organism was not isolated, serologic and clinical laboratory data and histopathologic results were presented which suggest a diagnosis of mycoplasma polyarthritis.