Studies of a Rabbit Herpes-Like Virus 1

Summary

A study of three populations of New Zealand white rabbits showed that some groups have neutralizing antibody to the rabbit HLV isolated by Nesburn [J. Virol. 3, 59 (1969)]. Primary kidney cultures prepared from such animals failed to yield infectious virus but the primary tissue culture cells of a small number had rabbit HLV antigen as determined by fluorescent antibody techniques. Studies of experimental infection in rabbits showed that this virus may persist and be recovered from the blood for more than 100 days after inoculation. No virus was isolated from the kidneys or monolayer cultures prepared from the kidneys of animals inoculated with small doses of virus.

The authors are grateful to Dr. R. H. Green for reviewing the manuscript and to Dr. Anthony B. Nesburn of the Doheny Eye Foundation, Los Angeles, CA, for supplying the rabbit herpes-like virus stock. The excellent technical assistance of Miss Deborah Winograd is also greatly appreciated.