Rat Virus (RV) Infections in Hamsters

Abstract

Rat virus (RV) can induce 3 different conditions in suckling hamsters according to the dosage of virus and the age of the host. These conditions are (1) an acute fatal disease in sucklings 1 to 4 days of age (2) a mongoloid dwarfism in sucklings 4 to 5 days of age, or in younger animals given a minimal dose of virus and (3) a latent infection in older sucklings. Some degree of spontaneous transmission takes place under heavy exposure. Studies of patho-genesis revealed that infected hamsters developed high titers of RV in livers, kidneys, and other organs as well as in blood and urine. High titers of infective virus were associated with hemagglutinins which had titers of up to 1:81,920. Rat virus has been carried through 20 passages in suckling hamsters.