OBSERVATIONS ON AN UNKNOWN ORGANISM RECOVERED FROM RECURRENT ORAL LESIONS IN MAN

Abstract

This paper describes an investigation into the aetiology of a variety of recurrent oral lesions in the adult, with the result that an unidentified organism was repeatedly demonslrated in sections of chorioallantoic membranes (CAMs) inoculated with 17 specimens of curetted tissues from recurrent oral lesions. The organism is a strict parasite which grows well in the CAMs of the developing hen"s egg, where it is seen to undergo growth phases of a complex nature. In the intracellular phases it may be mistaken for a virus or a rickettsia, in the extracellular phases for a bacterium or a protozoan. Pox are produced on the CAMs and haemorrhages and death occur in the embryos during the intracellular phases. The virulence of the organism increases with serial passage, with the production of a haemolytic toxin and 100% mortality rate. In tissue cultures the medium was rapidly metabolized and cytopathogenic effects occurred. Hanging drop preparations showed motility of a rapid, spinning, tumbling nature. The organism will not grow on a variety of enriched acellular media under aerobic or anaerobic conditions. It stains well with Giemsa"s stain but poorly with Gram"s. It is insensitive to large doses of penicillin and streptomycin. Guinea pigs and rabbits may be infected with the fresh primary material. CAM antigens do not fix complement in the presence of homologous serum or herpes simplex antisera. We have not been able to identify the organisms.