Relationship of hepatoencephalomyelitis virus and reoviruses

Abstract

IN 1953, the isolation of a new virus termed hepatoencephalomyelitis virus was described1. This was recovered from the fæces of an aboriginal child suffering from a respiratory infection and who later developed alopecia areata. Further work2 on this virus revealed the following properties: (1) Production of clinically recognizable disease only in suckling mice (commonly observed signs: oily hair, jaundice, peritoneal exudate, ataxia; a 'neurotropic' variant killed infant mice rapidly without these clinical signs). (2) Typical lesions in suckling mice were observed in the brain, cord, liver and heart. (3) Membranes of 110 mμ average pore diameter withheld virus; those of 130 mμ average pore diameter did not. (4) Resistance to ether. (5) Growth in tissue culture and chick embryos. (6) Infection in mice associated with the increased production of fæcal material of exceptionally high fat content. (7) The infection could be transmitted orally to suckling mice. © 1961 Nature Publishing Group.