Abstract

Inoculation of the urethra, conjunctiva, pharynx, and anal canal of six male crab-eating macaques (Macaca fascicularis) with urethral exudate from male patients with urethral gonorrhoea or with laboratory gonococcal strains was unsuccessful in establishing infection or producing increased polymorphonuclear leucocytes on Gram stain. Intraurethral inoculation with laboratory strains of Ureaplasma urealyticum resulted in transiently positive urethral cultures for U. urealyticum and was associated in some cases with increased numbers of polymorphonuclear leucocytes on Gram stain of urethral material. The findings suggest that the crab-eating macaque may be useful for studying the pathogenesis of urethral infection with U. urealyticum.