Detection of abnormal lymphocytes in the blood of Balb/c mice infected with murine gammaherpesvirus strain 72: the analogy with Epstein-Barr virus infection.

We have followed the effect of murine gammaherpesvirus strain 72 (MHV-72) infection and immunosuppression on the differential white blood cell count of Balb/c mice. In both the acute and chronic phase of infection, abnormal lymphocytes resembling human B lymphocytes infected with Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) were detected. Immunosuppression had no significant effect on the haematological changes during the infection. Some of mice, which had developed tumours as a consequence of infection, showed splenomegaly, lymphadenopathy, leukocytosis and high percentage of immature blastic forms of leukocytes.