Experimental Infection of Flies with Human Poliomyelitis Virus.

Abstract

Human poliomyelitis virus, as naturally present in stools of polio-myelitic patients, has been fed to blow flies, Phormia regina. After this feeding, virus was found in the flies for 2 weeks, and in their excreta for 3 weeks. Results of this type were not encountered when murinc-adapted strains of poliomyelitis virus and Theiler''s TO strain of spontaneous en-cephalomyelitis of mice were used. These strains behaved like biologically inert material, such as carmine, in P. regina, Phaenicia sericata and Sarcophaga bullata; following their in-gestion they were found in gradually decreasing quantities for 5 days.