Congenital LCM Virus Infection in “Germ-Free” Haas Strain Mice

Summary

“Germ-free” Haas strain mice are congenitally and persistently infected with LCM virus which is associated with a life-limiting immunoproliferative syndrome. The principal lesions are lymphoid infiltrations of visceral organs, elevated levels of serum globulins, and glomerulonephritis. The germ-free mice tolerate maximum subtoxic doses of cyclophosphamide, from which conventional counterpart mice die of bacterial infections. Cyclophosphamide treatments have prevented the development of and have reversed the lesions in young and old Haas strain mice, respectively. Intermittent cyclophosphamide therapy has elicited new reticulum cell sarcomas in Haas strain mice. Thus far, adoptive immunization procedures have not interrupted the congenital passage of LCM virus, and the results with radiation-induced allogeneic chimeras are incomplete. The protean manifestations of disease in Haas mice provide model experimental systems for congenital and persistent infection, immunoproliferative disease, immune complex disease, immunological tolerance, viral and cancer chemotherapy, and tissue transplantation procedures.