Summary
This report describes the isolation and partial characterisation of a cytomegalovirus (CMV) from the wild brown rat(Rattus norvegicus). The isolate was sensitive to ether and heat treatment at 56° C/30 minutes, and had a characteristic herpes virus morphology. In rat embryo fibroblast cells, new virus was detectable by 18 hours after inoculation. The cytopathic effect consisted of a focal rounding of cells which developed to involve the entire monolayer. Inoculation of newborn rats produced mortality of 67–75 per cent which was reduced to 33–46 per cent by intra-peritoneal inoculation or tissue culture passage. Highest virus concentrations were found in the liver and spleen 14 days after inoculation. The virus was also pathogenic (to a lesser extent) to newborn BALB/c mice. It was related to the Osborn strain of mouse CMV by fluorescent-antibody testing but distinct by the serum-neutralisation test.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Almeida, J. D.: In: Intrauterine Infections (Ciba Found. Symp. 10), 93–94. Amsterdam: Elsevier-Excerpta Medica-North Holland 1973.
Andrewes, C., Pereira, H. G., Wildy, P.: In: Viruses of Vertebrates, 4th ed., 312–355. London: Baillière Tindall 1978.
Berezesky, I. K., Grimley, P. M., Tyrrell, S. A., Rabson, A. S.: Ultrastructure of a Rat Cytomegalovirus. Exp. Mol. Pathol.14, 337–349 (1971).
Brautigham, A. R., Dutko, F. J., Olding, L. B., Oldstone, M. B. A.: Pathogenesis of murine cytomegalovirus infection: the macrophage as a permissive cell for cytomegalovirus infection, replication, and latency. J. gen. Virol.44, 349–359 (1979).
Cole, R., Kuttner, A. G.: Filterable virus present in the salivary glands of guinea pigs. J. Exp. Med.44, 855–873 (1926).
Doane, F. W., Anderson, N., Chatiyanonda, K., Bannandyne, R. M., McLeean, D. M., Rhodes, A. J.: Rapid laboratory diagnosis of paramyxovirus infections by electron microscopy. Lancet2, 751–753 (1967).
Jordan, M. C., Shanley, J. D., Stevens, J. G.: Immunosuppression reactivates and disseminates latent murine cytomegalvorius. J. gen. Virol.37, 419–423 (1977).
Kim, K. S., Carp, R. I.: Growth of murine cytomegalovirus in various cell lines. J. Virol.7, 720–725 (1971).
Kuttner, A. G., Wang, S. H.: J. Exp. Med.60, 773 (1934).
Lussier, G.: Murine cytomegalovirus. Adv. Vet. Sci. & Comp. Med.19, 223–247 (1975).
Lyon, H. W., Christian, J. J., Miller, C. W.: Cytomegalic inclusion disease of lacrimal glands in male laboratory rats. Proc. Soc. Exp. Biol. Med.101, 164–166 (1959).
Mims, C. A.: Intracerebral injections and the growth of viruses in the mouse brain. Br. J. Exp. Pathol.41, 52–59 (1960).
Mims, C. A., Gould, J.: The role of macrophages in mice infected with murine cytomegalovirus. J. gen. Virol.41, 143–153 (1978).
Mims, C. A., Goulld, J.: Infection of salivary glands, kidneys, adrenals, ovaries and epithelia by murine cytomegalovirus. J. Med. Microbiol.12, 113–122 (1979).
Moon, H. M., Sapienza, V. J., Carp, R. I., Kim, K. S.: Murine cytomegalovirus-induced protein synthesis. J. gen. Virol.42, 159–169 (1979).
Olding, L. B., Jensen, F. C., Oldstone, M. B. A.: Pathogenesis of cytomegalovirus infection, I: Activation of virus from bone marrow-derived lymphocytes byin vitro allogenic reaction. J. Exp. Med.141, 561–572 (1975).
Olding, L. B., Kingsbury, D. T., Oldstone, M. B. A.: Pathogenesis of cytomegalovirus infection. Distribution of viral products, immune complexes, and autoimmunity during latent murine infection. J. gen. Virol.33, 267–280 (1976).
Rabson, A. S., Edgcomb, J. H., Legallais, F. Y., Tyrrell, S. A.: Isolation and growth of rat cytomegalovirusin vitro. Proc. Soc. Exp. Biol. Med.131, 923–927 (1969).
Smith, M. G.: Propagation of salivary gland virus of the mouse in tissue culture. Proc. Soc. Exp. Biol. Med.86, 435–440 (1954).
Syverton, J. T., Larson, C. L.: Intranuclear inclusion bodies in the kidneys of wild rats. Arch. Pathol.43, 541–552 (1947).
Tegtmeyer, P. J., Ming, P.-M. L., Craighead, J. E.: Cytological studies on cytomegalovirus infected mouse cells. Arch. ges. Virusforsch.26, 334–340 (1969).
Thompson, M. J.: Intranuclear inclusions in the submaxillary gland of the rat. J. Inf. Dis.50, 162–170 (1932).
Waner, J. L., Biano, S. A.: Antibody reactivity to human and vervet cytomegalovirus early antigen(s) in sera from patients with active cytomegalovirus infections and from asymptomatic donors. J. Clin. Microbiol.9, 134–140 (1979).
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Additional information
With 4 Figures
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Priscott, P.K., Tyrrell, D.A.J. The isolation and partial characterisation of a cytomegalovirus from the brown rat,Rattus norvegicus . Archives of Virology 73, 145–160 (1982). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01314723
Received:
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01314723