Morphologic changes following intraarticular inoculation of Mycoplasma bovis in calves.

Intraarticular inoculation of Mycoplasma bovis into the joints of six-week-old calves caused severe arthritis in five inoculates and mild arthritis in a sixth. Intraarticular inoculation of killed M. bovis did not cause arthritis. Arthritic calves had fever, joint swelling, lameness, neutrophilia, and intercurrent pneumonia from which M. bovis could not be recovered. Gross lesions were massive fibrinosuppurative synovitis and tenosynovitis, erosion of cartilage, and its replacement by polypoid granulation tissue. Histologic lesions were extensive ulceration of synovial membranes, leukocytic infiltration of the subsynovium, congestion, hyperemia, and thrombosis of the subsynovial vessels. Cartilage erosion was accompanied by chronic osteomyelitis and formation of pannus tissue. The presence of thrombi and platelet aggregates suggests that the inflammatory process in the synovium may arise from the interaction of M. bovis with the vasculature and the coagulation process of the host.