The association between tumour necrosis factor-alpha, interleukin-6 and microbiological findings in the synovial fluid of aborted and neonatal calves.

Tumour necrosis factor-alpha (TNF alpha) and interleukin-6 (IL-6) were detected in the intra-carpal synovial fluids collected from aborted and recently dead young calves. Five out of seven TNF-alpha positive joint fluids were bacteriologically positive and two were sterile. Only one out of 20 TNF-alpha negative joint aspirates was infected (P = 0.0014). Sixteen of the synovial fluid samples were examined for the presence of IL-6. In 12 samples IL-6 was detected, six of which were bacteriologically contaminated. Four out of the 16 samples were IL-6 negative. These findings indicated the possible association between TNF-alpha and the intra-articular inflammatory processes in young calves, which in the present study were either found in combination with or without IL-6.