title: Persistence of lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus at very low levels in immune mice.
abstract: Lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus (LCMV), strain WE, is a non-cytopathic RNA virus that is highly adapted to its natural host, the mouse. Acute infection of adult mice leads to generalized virus spread, followed by cytotoxic T lymphocyte-mediated virus clearance below the detection levels of conventional assays within 2-3 weeks. Indirect evidence had suggested that virus or viral antigen might persist in the immune mouse. Here we demonstrate LCMV-WE persistence at low levels after infection with 10(2) or 10(6) plaque-forming units, shown as viral genome, viral antigen, and replicative virus using sensitive in vitro and in vivo assays. The finding that LCMV-WE persists in the face of apparently intact immune responses resembles the situation in some viral (hepatitis B and C, HIV) and bacterial (tuberculosis, leprosy) infections in humans; the results are relevant to the understanding not only of other murine and human persistent viral infections but also of protective immunological memory by "infection immunity."
authors.affiliation: Institute for Experimental Immunology, Department of Pathology, University Hospital, CH-8091 Zurich, Switzerland. aciurea@pathol.unizh.ch
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ciurea
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Klenerman
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Hunziker
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Horvath
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Odermatt
authors.forename: A F
authors.initials: AF
authors.lastname: Ochsenbein
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Hengartner
authors.forename: R M
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Zinkernagel
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000956:Antigens, Viral / Q000032:analysis* / Q000378:metabolism; D001483:Base Sequence; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D007156:Immunologic Memory; D007668:Kidney / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism / Q000821:virology*; D008168:Lung / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism / Q000821:virology*; D008217:Lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus / Q000235:genetics* / Q000254:growth & development / Q000276:immunology; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D008957:Models, Genetic; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000032:analysis / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D013154:Spleen / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism / Q000821:virology*; D013997:Time Factors; D014018:Tissue Distribution
chemical_list: D000956:Antigens, Viral; D012367:RNA, Viral