Junin Virus Infection of Guinea Pigs: Electron Microscopic Studies of Peripheral Blood and Bone Marrow

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Abstract
Thin sections of peripheral white blood cells and samples of bone marrow from guinea pigs infected with Junin virus were examined by electron microscopy. In peripheral blood cells, 40% of the granulocytes showed cytoplasmic lysis seven days after viral infection. After day 11 up to 80% of these cells showed morphological alterations. However, no intra- or extracellular viral particles were detected in these samples. Microscopy of bone marrow preparations revealed that 10% of the cells were altered five days after infection, and approximately 50% were affected after nine days. At this stage the megakaryocyte channels were seen to contain pleomorphic particles with a mean diameter of 80-100 nm. These particles had a unit membrane envelope and internal dense granules similar to those observed during other arenavirus infections. Therefore, it is suggested that the effect of Junin virus upon megakaryocytes may be a factor responsible for the acute thrombocytopenia observed in Argentine hemorrhagic fever.

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