Studies on Mumps Virus

Abstract

Summary Recovery of mumps virus and the appearance of antibodies were studied in guinea pigs after intracerebral, intratesticular or intracutaneous inoculation of diluted amniotic fluid infected with the Fujimura strain. Observations also were made after inoculation of the virus into the anterior chamber of the eyes. Mumps virus was recovered from the testicles for 3 days after intratesticular inoculation, from the brains for 4 days after intracerebral inoculation and from the fluid of anterior chamber of eyes for 7 days. In no case was virus recovered from the blood of the guinea pigs. With one exception, virus was not isolated from guinea pigs organs on the 2nd or later passages. Complement-fixing, neutralizing and hemagglutination-inhibiting antibodies were demonstrable after inoculation by all routes. The highest titers were obtained after two intracerebral inoculations at 1-wk intervals. The intracerebral immunization of guinea pigs, therefore, appears to be the best and simplest method for the preparation of hyperimmune serum for complement-fixation tests. With complement-fixation test not only V-antibodies but also S-antibodies were detected in the sera of the guinea pigs after intracerebral inoculation with mumps virus.