Experimental bone tumours caused by common viruses.

Abstract

ATYPICAL osseous and articular lesions have been observed in children in the course of measles and viral neuroinfections1,2. Although no viruses were isolated from the bones of the patients, the observations prompted the following investigation of the influence of viruses on bone tissue. In this communication we present the results of experiments with the ornithosis virus O.A.P. strain Y.S. 224, Coxsackie A9, Coxsackie B1, B3 and B4 viruses. The method used has been described before3. The experimental suspensions were free from bacterial contamination, as checked by inoculating various culture media. White mice of the ‘Porton’ race weighing 15 g each were used in the experiments. The suspensions were injected into bone marrow or joints. The Coxsackie A and B viruses were used in 25 per cent carcass suspensions, and the ornithosis virus in 15 per cent brain suspensions. The numbers of animals inoculated, the dosage of the suspensions and the frequency of lesions in the bones are shown in Table 1. Mice were anaesthetized in groups at intervals of 5 days, and inoculated parts were removed for histological examination. (The material was decalcified with 7 per cent nitric acid, fixed in paraffin, and stained with haematoxylin and eosin). In two mice, 25 and 35 days after inoculation, rapidly growing tumours were observed on the temporo-frontal aspect of the head in one case, and on the front limb in the other. The longest period of observation was 50 days.