Persistent transmission of mouse hepatitis virus by transgenic mice.
Variation in susceptibility to viral infection is well documented across mouse strains. Specific combinations of viral strains and murine hosts may favor viral infection and disease, and could potentially allow the unexpected development of chronic, persistent, or latent infections. In some genetically modified strains of mice, immune function and perhaps other physiologic or metabolic systems may be substantially or marginally impaired. In the case study reported here, we document the apparent persistent transmission of mouse hepatitis virus (MHV) over a two-year period by MHV-seropositive transgenic mice. Transmission occurred via direct contact with seropositive mice and exposure to contaminated bedding. However, MHV was not detected at diagnostic laboratories by use of viral isolation or reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) analysis of tissues from MHV-seropositive animals. Our observation, together with the constantly expanding varieties of immune-impaired or poorly characterized murine hosts and the burgeoning dissemination of these animals throughout the biomedical research community, indicate that unexpected pathophysiologic presentations of common murine viral diseases may present new challenges to the biomedical research community in the future.
Rehg
J E
JE
St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, Tennessee 38105, USA.
Blackman
M A
MA
Toth
L A
LA
D000822:Animal Husbandry / Q000379:methods; D000818:Animals; D020296:Animals, Congenic; D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000097:blood; D018352:Coronavirus Infections / Q000276:immunology / Q000635:transmission / Q000662:veterinary*; D004196:Disease Outbreaks / Q000662:veterinary*; D018562:Disease Transmission, Infectious / Q000662:veterinary*; D004866:Equipment Contamination; D005260:Female; D006524:Hepatitis, Viral, Animal / Q000276:immunology / Q000635:transmission* / Q000821:virology; D006799:Housing, Animal; D007121:Immunocompetence; D017053:Infection Control / Q000379:methods; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D008808:Mice, Inbred CBA; D008822:Mice, Transgenic / Q000821:virology*; D016693:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, alpha-beta / Q000235:genetics*; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012376:Rodent Diseases / Q000276:immunology / Q000635:transmission* / Q000821:virology
D000914:Antibodies, Viral; D016693:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, alpha-beta