Infectivity of Murine SK Strain of Poliomyelitis Virus.

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Abstract
Observations are reported on the infectivity of the murine SK strain for mice based on certain types of exposure to the virus. Some of the infected mice were embedded in toto, sectioned, and examined histologically for evidence of virus multiplication in non-nervous as well as nervous tissue. Although infections occurred readily under various types of exposures to the virus, no lesions suggestive of virus activity were observed in any tissues or organs apart from the CNS. Infections by the intranasal route could not be prevented by prior intranasal instillations of ZnSO4 soln. used to block the olfactory pathway as a portal of entry. Mice could be readily infected with virus-contaminated drinking water. Virus cultivated in developing eggs proved less infectious for mice when supplied to the animals in drinking water or food than mouse brain-cord virus suspensions. Old mice showed themselves less susceptible than young mice to certain types of exposure, but to other types of exposure the difference was less marked. Young mice could be readily infected by housing them in battery jars contaminated with virus, but it required a heavy contamination to bring this about. While a virus suspension dropped into the conjunctiva after light scarification of the cornea induced infection in 70% of mice, only 10% infection resulted when this procedure was not preceded by scarification of the cornea. Infection was induced in 60% of mice by applying the virus to the skin and then introducing it by the multiple puncture method. Infection was induced in 30% of mice on introducing the virus into the rectum. Young mice can be easily infected by the intraperit. route, this route being only slightly less sensitive than the intracranial route. The avg. incubation period following intraven. inoculation did not differ significantly from that observed following inoculations by other routes with similar amts. of virus. The virus induced a typical poliomyelitic syndrome in guinea - pigs. In these animals it became a low titer virus. It proved infectious for hamsters but not for rabbits or monkeys. Attempts to adapt it to baby chicks were unsuccessful.

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