Reginald L. Reagan

Transmission of Street Rabies Virus Strain (V308) to Suckling Hamsters During Lactation

Summary From this observation it appears that rabies may be transmitted from lactating hamsters to suckling hamsters. Seventy-seven percent of the mothers showed rabies symptoms between 14 to 20 days.31% of the suckling hamsters developed rabies symptoms between 8 to 22 days. Confirmation of rabies was made on all positive animals by Negri body examination. The possibility exists that rabies virus was present in the saliva of the mothers before the suckling animals were weaned, and consequently infection could have occurred by some route other than the milk. This could occur even without biting. Direct infection of mucous surfaces as the result of licking is possible, although this seems remote due to the high percentage of suckling hamsters showing rabies symptoms.

Bwamba fever virus and Semliki Forest virus in young dogs.

Summary 1. A strain of Semliki Forest virus passaged intracerebrally in Swiss albino mice has been successfully transmitted intraperitoneally and intracerebrally to mongrel puppies. 2. Puppies exposed by intacerebral, intranasal, intradermal, intraperitoneal, and intracardial routes to Bwamba Fever virus and puppies exposed by intranasal, intradermal, and intracardial routes to Semliki Forest virus showed clinically no signs of nervous symptoms, and mice injected intracerebrally with brain suspensions from these puppies showed no evidence of Bwamba Fever or Semliki Forest disease.

Adaptation of 'B' virus to the Swiss albino mouse.

SUMMARY: The ‘B’ virus (strain no. 1) of the 68th rabbit passage has been successfully transmitted to Swiss albino mice and carried through ten passages in this species by intracerebral inoculation. This virus produced symptoms of irritability and involvement of the central nervous system in these mammals. Paralysis occurred in mice from the 6th to the 10th passages. Virus-bearing material from the 10th intracerebral mouse brain passage upon being injected intradermally into unvaccinated rabbits produced paralysis but had no effect on rabbits previously immunized against ‘B’ virus.

Transmission of the Hamster-Adapted Newcastle Virus to Swiss Albino Mice.

Summary The hamster-adapted New-castle virus (California strain Number 11914) of the 203rd passage has been successfully transmitted to Swiss albino mice and carried through 20 serial passages in this species by intracerebral inoculation. The virus produced symptoms of irritability and malaise usually followed by paralysis, and often accompanied by a characteristic nervous jerking with labored breathing. Mice showing typical symptoms of central nervous system involvement did not recover. Positive Newcastle chicken serum neutralized the virus from the 15th mouse passage while normal chicken serum failed to neutralize the virus. The virus of the 15th mouse passage titred 10−3 in mice by intracerebral inoculation, The mouse-adapted virus proved pathogenic for Syrian hamsters upon intracerebral injection.

Response of young dogs to West Nile virus.

Summary A strain of West Nile virus isolated by Dr. K. C. Smithburn from a patients serum in Africa and passaged intracere-brally in Swiss albino mice has been successfully transmitted intracerebrally, intranasally, and intracardially to mongrel puppies.

Rabies street virus strains in the Syrian hamster and in the Swiss albino mouse.

Summary 1. Hamsters and mice were challenged intracerebrally and hamsters rectally with 14 strains of rabies street virus in order to determine the better species of animal and route of inoculation in diagnostic work for rabies. With 6 of the 14 strains the incubation periods in intracerebrally inoculated hamsters were shorter than in the mice. Although the incubation period was longer in the hamsters challenged rectally, no preliminary treatment to eliminate bacterial contamination was necessary. 2. Examination of stained touch preparations revealed that the Negri bodies in infected hamster brains were larger and more numerous than those in infected mouse brains.

Morphologic observations by electron microscopy of the Leon strain of poliomyelitis virus.

Summary Studies by electron microscopy of the spinal cords of monkeys infected with poliomyelitis virus (Leon strain) showed rod-shaped, virus-like particles ranging in width from 12-15 mμ. These bodies could not be demonstrated in normal monkey cords.

Electron Micrographs of Newcastle Disease Virus Preparations from Chick Embryos Following Infection by Virus Propagated in the Short-tailed Shrew (Blarina brevicauda)

Summary (1) NDV from short-tailed shrews infected by intracerebral inoculation and intranasal instillation was 100% pathogenic for embryonated eggs in the first embryo passage. Shrews infected by these two methods of exposure showed typical Newcastle disease symptoms. The virus in the allantoic fluid of eggs inoculated with the shrew brain material from both intracerebral and intranasal series was neutralized by positive Newcastle disease serum but was not affected by normal chicken serum. (2) Electron micrographs of Newcastle disease virus preparations from chick embryos following infection by the virus propagated in the short-tailed shrew showed a predominance of tailed forms. (3) Intracerebral and intranasal serial passages of NDV in the short-tailed shrew are being continued at the present time and will be reported in a later paper.

Studies of Newcastle disease virus (NDV) propagated in the cave bat Myotus lucifugus.

Summary The cave bat, Myotus lucifugus, is susceptible by intracerebral inoculation to the 6-egg-adapted NDV strains: California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Kentucky, and Minnesota, used in this study. The California strain was carried 10 passages in the bat by intracerebral inoculation. Serial passage in bats was not attempted with any of the other 5 strains.

RESPONSE OF THE CAVE BAT (MYOTIS LUCIFUGUS) TO THE WACHTEL IBV STRAIN OF INFECTIOUS BRONCHITIS VIRUS

In 1931 Schalk and Hawn (1931) first described avian infectious bronchitis, and in 1933, Bushnell and Brandly (1953) concluded that a filterable agent was its cause. The virus was shown to differ in several respects from that of infectious laryngotracheitis by Beach and Schalm (1936). Since the disease has been definitely identified only in chickens and in monkeys by Delaha et al (1954), studies should be made to determine the susceptibilities of other mammals. The present study was undertaken in order to determine whether the cave bat (Myotis lucifugus) is susceptible to infectious bronchitis virus and also to determine whether these bats could act as reservoirs for the disease.