Attempted Adaptation of the Virus of Poliomyelitis to Wild Rodents

Abstract

Summary

Attempts to transmit the virus of poliomyelitis, both old and newly isolated strains, to the cotton rats, Sigmodon hispidus cremicus and S. h. texianus and the mice, Microtus californicus and M. montanus, were unsuccessful by the methods employed. The virus, however, could survive in the brain of the Microtus for 3 to 4 days and be transferred to monkeys but not mice. It was found that the convulsive spasms that developed among both inoculated and the normal rats were probably due to a deficient diet and not to a virus disease. Microtus californicus is highly resistant to intracerebral inoculation of the virus of lymphocytic choriomeningitis, M. montanus less so, while the Sigmodon species are more susceptible.