The Cockroach as an Experimental Vector of the Virus of Spontaneous Mouse Encephalomyelitis (Theiler). ∗

Abstract

Summary

In experiments in which cockroaches, Periplaneta americana, were fed a single meal containing the virus of mouse encephalomyelitis, GD VII strain, proof was obtained that the test cockroaches daily over a period of as many as 7 days excreted sufficient virus to kill test mice. Control experiments showed that the lethal effect was from infection by the virus of mouse encephalomyelitis, GD VII strain, and not from extraneous bacterial or viral infection.