Routine diagnosis of lymphocytic choriomeningitis in golden hamsters
Rehman, S. ur; Wagner, G.
Deutsche Tierärztliche Wochenschrift 79(14): 337-342
1972
ISSN/ISBN: 0341-6593 PMID: 4564270 Document Number: 49597
Of 25 brain pools prepared from 150 hamsters aged 4-11 weeks, only four pools yielded the virus, by intracerebral inoculation of mice. The virus was identified by the neutralization test after 3-4 passages in mice. All hamsters were negative to the CF test at 4-5 weeks of age, positive titres of 1:4 to 1:32 occurred from the sixth week, and the highest proportion of positive titres was found in 8-week-old hamsters with titres of up to 1:64. At 11 months titres of up to 1:16 were found. Of 11 litters born, three were negative and eight positive to the CF test; none yielded the virus. Infection of mouse embryo and chick embryo fibroblast cell cultures caused a distinct cytopathic effect after 48-72 hours. The two cell systems were equally suitable for cultivation of the virus. It is concluded that the CF test and demonstration of the virus by animal inoculation or in tissue culture are, when used in combination, suitable for the diagnosis of the disease in hamsters. The hamster was shown to be particularly susceptible to the virus by the intracerebral, s/c and i/p routes. Intranasal infection, however, induced only a serological response.