Suppurative polyarthritis in striped skunks (Mephitis mephitis) from Cape Cod, Massachusetts: detection of mycoplasma DNA.

Striped skunks (Mephitis mephitis) from Cape Cod, Massachusetts, U.S.A. were necropsied (n=34; 1995-1997) or clinically evaluated (n=25, 2002-2003) to characterize a lameness and polyarthritis, reported by wildlife veterinarians and rehabilitators, and unsuccessfully treated with antibiotics. Overall, 22 affected skunks had one or multiple swollen joints, swollen paws, and subcutaneous abscesses. Purulent exudate was located in joint spaces, in periarticular connective tissue between muscle fascicles and tendons, and between and along flexor and extensor tendons of the paws. Histologic examination revealed suppurative arthritis, with necrosis and erosion of articular cartilage, and suppurative osteomyelitis. Special stains failed to reveal a causative microorganism within affected joints, and routine bacteriologic cultures failed to isolate a pathogen with any significant frequency or consistency. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) experiments were performed using DNA extracted from archived, formalin-fixed joint samples of 11 affected skunks, and DNA from joints of 7 of 11 affected skunks yielded amplicons with sequences highly similar to sequences of Mycoplasma fermentans within the Mycoplasma bovis cluster, whereas DNA samples from joints of four unaffected skunks were negative by PCR. Skunks from Connecticut, U.S.A. (n=21; 1995-2003) were similarly examined and were found not to have suppurative polyarthritis, suggesting a unique geographic distribution of this condition. Concurrent pathologic conditions in adult skunks from both Cape Cod and Connecticut included verminous pneumonia, gastric nematodiasis, arthropod ectoparasitism, and canine distemper. Amyloidosis was present in skunks with and without suppurative polyarthritis, and the amyloid was immunohistochemically identified as AA-amyloid. This is the first report of suppurative polyarthritis in wild skunks with evidence of a mycoplasmal etiology.