Chronic Subclinical Infection with Mouse Salivary Gland Virus

Abstract

Intraperitoneal inoculation of weanling Swiss mice with a sublethal dose of mouse salivary gland virus produced infection of the submaxillary gland of at least one year''s duration. Virus was isolated from urine during the acute stage of infection and from saliva during both acute and chronic stages. Inclusion bodies in the salivary gland were not seen after the 60th day of infection. This system provides a unique experimental model for a chronic, localized, subclinical virus infection.