Lesions in Nasal Mucous Membranes of Monkeys with Acute Poliomyelitis.

The ease with which monkeys may be infected with poliomyelitis by nasal instillations of virus either with or without preliminary scarifications of the nasal mucosa has been known since the early experiments of Flexner and Lewis. 1 Moreover, Flexner, Clark and Fraser, 2 and others have demonstrated virus in the nasal secretions of human “carriers”. Osgood and Lucas 3 , 4 showed the presence of virus in monkeys after the acute stage of poliomyelitis and reported finding virus in the nasal secretion of a human “carrier” 4 months after an acute attack. Kling and Petterson 5 examined the nasal mucosae of monkeys with acute poliomyelitis and observed only acute and chronic inflammation with necrosis. No specific lesions were found.

In view of these facts, it occurred to us to examine histologically the nasal mucous membranes of monkeys dying of acute poliomyelitis to see if any demonstrable changes were evident. All the animals were inoculated intracerebrally and were etherized at various stages of the disease. We were particularly interested in nerve plexuses and ganglion cells within the nasal glands. So far, however, in a series of 31 diseased monkeys, no changes have been encountered in these structures. Chronic inflammatory lesions of mucous glands, infiltration of connective tissues by leucocytes, and leucocytes within the epithelium are not uncommon; one animal showed a fairly well-marked osteochondritis. It must therefore be stated that no lesions suggestive of any specific character were seen in the deeper structures of the nose. Nevertheless, in a certain number of animals the nasal mucosae themselves showed features of considerable interest. 17 of the 31 monkeys with acute poliomyelitis exhibited these lesions to a greater or lesser extent, whereas 9 control animals so far available for study have not yielded similar pictures.