Experimental Subacute Sclerosing Panencephalitis (SSPE) in the Hamster

Abstract

Experimental animal models that faithfully duplicate most aspects of a significant human disease have contributed greatly to the understanding of the condition in man. Experimental diseases produced in small animals also allow more comprehensive studies at less cost in that many more individuals can be investigated and significant variations in populations can be assessed. This is of major value in infectious diseases in which only a few animals may manifest significant changes. Experimental diseases, especially infectious ones, in animals are highly useful because a disease state can be studied in all its complexity only in the intact mammal. Thus, although important information can be gained from in vitro studies, ultimately the essential combination of genetic, immunological, dosage, and cell specificity factors can be assayed only in the intact animal, allowing a more complete understanding of the disease process to be unraveled.