Aging and reactivation of latent murine cytomegalovirus

Kenneth E. Schmader*, Richard Rahija, Kevin R. Porter, Gerald Daley, John D. Hamilton

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

14 Scopus citations

Abstract

BALB/c mice were experimentally infected with murine cytomegalovirus (MCMV) to discover whether latent MCMV persisted in aging mice and to examine the effect of aging on MCMV reactivation. Latently infected mice received saline, cyclophosphamide, or allogeneic blood at 6 and 18 months of age. MCMV DNA was detected by polymerase chain reaction in submaxillary salivary gland biopsy specimens from saline-treated young and old mice. Evidence of MCMV reactivation was sought by culture of biopsy specimens and by MCMV IgG ELISA of pre- and posttreatment sera from all animals. Very few cyclophosphamide- or saline-treated mice reactivated MCMV at either age, but young transfused mice reactivated MCMV significantly more often than did old transfused mice. These experiments indicate that MCMV DNA persists in the salivary gland of aging mice but that the likelihood of MCMV reactivation does not increase with age.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)1403-1407
Number of pages5
JournalJournal of Infectious Diseases
Volume166
Issue number6
DOIs
StatePublished - Dec 1992
Externally publishedYes

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