Abstract
Summary
Corynebacterium rubrum–a gram-postive nonpathogenic bacterium–induces severe arthritis a week to 10 days after its injection in rats. Production of arthritis is species-specific and dose-dependent, the optimal dose being 600 gamma per animal. Morphologically, the arthritis–similar to adjuvant arthritis induced by mycobacteria–is characterized by granulation tissue invading synovia, periarticular tissue, tendons, articular cartilage, periosteum, and bone spaces. The discovery of a nonpathogenic and easily cultivated substitute for mycobacteria may help to identify the responsible antigen and the mechanism in adjuvant arthritis.
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