Studies of lymphocytic choriomeningitis in mice. I. The relationship between age at inoculation and outcome of infection.

Abstract

Mice inoculated during the first few days after birth frequently passed through a “runt” stage for several weeks, with severe retardation of growth and hair development. It was concluded that LCM disease is an immunologic conflict between the host and the viral antigen; this can end in any one of three ways: a) immunological tolerance or paralysis (persistent tolerated infection); b) death of the host; c) suppression of virus with immunity of the host.