Presence of Viral Particles in the Salivary Gland of Calomys musculinus Infected with Junin Virus by a Natural Route

Publisher Website
Google Scholar
Abstract
C. musculinus, a wild cricetid rodent, is a main reservoir of Junin virus. Six of these animals were infected by being placed in close contact with animals that were experimentally infected with the virus. They were sacrificed at 10, 15 and 20 mo. after contact, and their salivary glands were studied by ultrastructural, immunohistochemical and virological methods. Two animals developed chronic viremia and low titers of complement fixing antibodies. These animals were the only ones that had high viral titers in salivary glands and blood and viral antigen and particles in salivary glands. Although some of the other animals had viremia at the beginning of the experiment, it was absent 5 mo. later. Complement fixing antibodies developed in all animals. These findings indicate that the salivary gland is an important site of viral synthesis and excretion. This type of chronic infection, with persistent viremia and virus shedding, is possibly important for virus perpetuation in nature and transmission to man.