Abstract
It was reported 1 that the virus of infectious papillomatosis produced warts which were readily transmissible in its natural host, the wild cottontail rabbit. However, warts which it regularly induced in domestic rabbits were not transmissible serially in either wild or domestic rabbits. A similar situation as regards the transmission of Rous Sarcoma 1 to turkeys, guinea fowls, and pheasants has been described. 2 , 3
The purpose of the present paper is to report the successful transmission of the virus of infectious papillomatosis serially in domestic rabbits. Warts from domestic rabbits, infected with papilloma virus of wild rabbit origin in the usual fashion, 1 were removed at various intervals, ground with sand, suspended in physiological saline and the resulting suspension used in attempts to infect other domestic rabbits. The technique of infection was the same that had been used unsuccessfully in earlier experiments. Thirty-two attempts to carry the virus beyond its first domestic rabbit passage have been made since the 26 fruitless efforts first reported. 1 Of these, 13 were successful, the domestic rabbits of the second serial passage developing one or more papillomas over the area of skin inoculated. Efforts to maintain the virus in domestic rabbits beyond its second serial passage were made in 7 instances and, of these, 4 were successful. Two series were carried through their fifth domestic rabbit passage and then discontinued. The remaining 2 series are still being passed; one has reached its 6th and the other its 10th domestic rabbit passage.
The individual papillomas developing in rabbits infected with the domestic rabbit-passaged virus are identical in all respects with those resulting following similar infection with virus obtained from wild rabbit warts.
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