Guinea Pig Leukocytes: In Vivo and in Vitro Infection with a Herpes-Like Virus

Abstract

Herpes-like virus (HLV) particles have been observed in cultured human cells derived from Burkitt's lymphoma (1), from patients with leukemia and lymphoma (2), from peripheral blood of patients with infectious mononucleosis (3), and from normal healthy human leukocytes (4). Although virus particles have been observed in cells after in vitro cultivation, the presence of the HLV particles in tissues and leukocytes taken directly from humans has not been reported. The pathogenesis of these HLV in human cells and their relationship to the associated clinical diseases is not clear. As part of the studies on the pathogenesis and persistence of a HLV in guinea pigs (5), we noted the following: 1) failure to demonstrate HLV particles in leukocytes taken directly from infected guinea pigs; 2) appearance of the HLV particles in leukocytes taken from inoculated animals but only after in vitro cultivation; and 3) evidence of enhanced proliferation of guinea pig leukocytes infected in vitro with the HLV.