High Incidence of Adjuvant Arthritis as a Secondary Lesion to Peritonitis in Rats

Summary

Heat-killed M. tuberculosum injected intraperitoneally in rats produced peritonitis as a primary lesion and polyarthritis as a remote secondary lesion. Rats given 0.25 mg of the adjuvant developed paw swelling 21 to 28 days after the injection. Those given 1 mg developed severe swelling in 12 to 15 days. Parameters investigated were peritoneal leukocyte population and cell count, plasma β-glucuronidase, inflammation units, paw volumes, and body weights.

A sharp increase in peritoneal leukocyte counts and percentage lymphocytes was observed prior to swelling in the hind limbs. Plasma inflammation units and β-glucuronidase increased sharply at about the time paw volume increased. Bone damage was less severe than in animals injected in foot or tail.