Leukemia-like syndrome in Balb/c mice infected with the lymphotropic gamma herpesvirus MHV-Sumava: an analogy to EBV infection.

Based on our previous observation that primary infection with the murine gamma herpesvirus (MHV) isolate Sumava (MHV-SU) undergoes a lymphoproliferative phase resembling to Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) induced infectious mononucleosis (IM), we evaluated white blood cell (WBC) counts at late stages following MHV-SU infection. In consequence of intranasal inoculation with MHV-SU a leukemia-like syndrome in Balb/c mice developed. The syndrome in question was accompanied with significant splenomegaly; in the peripheral blood leukocytosis (from 8 x 10(4) to 5 x 10(5) leukocytes/microl) and a high percentage of atypical lymphocytes (60-80%) was found. Presented results are bringing further evidence for lymphoproliferative effect of MHV and point at analogic course of MHV-SU and EBV infections.