Abstract
Summary
1. Normal rabbits injected with 0.5 ml of duck anti-rabbit kidney serum (DARKS) in the stifle, twice weekly for 6 weeks, developed a delayed monoarthritis starting 2 to 4 months following first intraarticular injection. 2. Control animals injected with a similar dose of normal duck serum (NDS) failed to develop arthritis within a 6 months observation period. 3. The intra-articular injections of either NDS or DARKS produced high serum antibody titers precipitating both, NDS and DARKS prior to development of the arthritis. The titer disappeared as the arthritis developed in rabbits treated with DARKS but persisted in the NDS-treated control animals. 4. When either, DARKS or NDS, was injected into the joint of rabbits previously immunized with NDS, an accelerated arthritis developed within one week. 5. The main clinical symptoms at site of the affected joint consisted of pain, swelling, crepitus, limitation of active and passive movements with subsequent functional impairment. 6. Histologic studies revealed exudate in the joint cavity consisting predominantly of PMN's and infiltration of synovia and cartilage with segmented leukocytes as well as erosion of the cartilage leading to exposure of the underlying bone. 7. The clinico-pathologic findings were paralleled roentgenologically by swelling of the soft tissues, bulging of the articular capsule, hyperostosis, disappearance of the cartilage, narrowing of the condyles, resulting in osteosclerosis at the end of 6 months.
The authors wish to acknowledge valuable contribution of Dr. Alexander Lewitan to the roentgenologic study presented in this paper.
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