Ureaplasmas and mycoplasmas in chimpanzees of various breeding capacities

Adult chimpanzees (24 male, 76 female) with low and high rates of conception were examined for ureaplasmas, arginine-metabolizing mycoplasmas and chlamydiae. Ureaplasmas were isolated from the throat of only 1 male and 1 female animal, but from the urethra of 29% of the males and from the vagina of 95% of the females. Mycoplasmas were isolated from the throat more often than were ureaplasmas, but from the genital tract with about the same frequency as ureaplasmas. The numbers of organisms, of either type, isolated from the vagina were larger than the numbers isolated from the male urethra. Chlamydiae were not isolated from any animal. The occurrence of ureaplasmas and mycoplasmas and the numbers of these organisms isolated were similar in animals with low or high rates of conception. Furthermore, no association was noted between the organisms in the lower genital tract and the occurrence of abortion and/or stillbirth.