Coxsackie virus B4 infection of the mouse pancreas: I. Detection of virus‐specific rna in the pancreas by in situ hybridization

Abstract
The pathology of Coxsackie virus B4 (CVB4) infection in a murine model was investigated by in situ hybridization using a biotinylated cDNA probe derived from CVB4. During the acute phase of infection virus RNA sequences were detected in the exocrine pancreas of 60% of mice infected with a pancreotropic variant of CVB4. A positive hybridization signal was observed in other organs in some animals including the heart and liver of 1 mouse 28 days after infection. The cellular distribution of virus RNA sequences corresponded well with the histological findings in most tissues. Possible causes for failure of hybridization in some infected pancreases are discussed in conjunction with potential application of the technique in human pancreas biopsy samples.