Abstract
Summary
Studies on the growth pattern of the 9H virus (9HV) in the liver of W/FU rats revealed that intraperitoneal inoculation of newborn rats, free of maternal antibody to 9HV, with low doses of this virus resulted in a gradual increase of viral progeny which reached its peak by day 10. This was followed by a decrease in virus titer accompanied by a gradual increase of serum antibody titer to the virus. Intranuclear inclusions in liver cells were noted at day 6. Viral hepatitis, including cytopathic changes and inflammatory cells, and definite peliosis hepatis became evident at day 8 to 10. The thymus and spleen of these animals showed atrophy grossly and histologically. Rats inoculated with the 9HV components (9HV-A and 9HV-B) showed a similar pattern of response except that peliosis hepatis was not conspicuous in rats inoculated with 9HV-B. Intracerebral inoculation of low doses of 9HV resulted in virus multiplication in both brain and liver and in the development of hepatitis and peliosis hepatis. No significant brain lesions were apparent in these animals indicating cytotropism of this virus in regard to its cytopathic effect in the intact rat. Weanling rats free of antibody to 9HV and inoculated with high doses of this virus failed to develop any disease indicating an age dependent resistance to 9HV.
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