Serologische Diagnostik der Spontanerkrankungen der kleinen Laboratoriumstiere

A tumor-like condition has been observed in a wild cottontail rabbit and has been found to be transmissible to both wild and domestic rabbits but not to guinea pigs, white rats, white mice, or chickens. The clinical picture of the experimentally produced condition and the pathological picture of the original and experimentally produced tumors have been described. The tumor has the general appearance of a fibroma. Methods used in transmitting the condition and satisfactory routes of inoculation have been described and discussed.

A filtrable virus, identical with that which causes acute lymphocytic choriomeningitis, has been found to cause a disease in white mice. Naturally infected mice usually show no symptoms, but such animals inoculated intracerebrally with sterile bouillon or other materials develop characteristic symptoms. The same symptoms are produced by intracerebral injection of the virus into mice from a disease-free stock. Guinea pigs are very susceptible and are therefore useful for detecting the virus and for neutralization tests. The disease in both naturally infected and inoculated animals is discussed and the pathological findings given.