Viral Growth and Viral Oncogenesis in Brains of Newborn Hamsters Inoculated With Polyoma Virus

Abstract

The growth of polyoma virus in the brains of intracerebrally inoculated newborn hamsters was characterized by a decrease in the amount of virus on the day after inoculation, a rise to a peak 2 to 3 days after inoculation, and a progressive decline to complete absence of detectable virus in 8 to 10 days. Tumor was first demonstrable histopathologically 10 days after inoculation. By transplantation of entire brains of inoculated animals to subcutaneous tissues of adult recipients, there was evidence that neoplastic cells were present in the brains 4, 5, and 11 days after inoculation; however, the transplantation method does not appear to be a reliable indication of the presence of tumor.