SEROEPIDEMIOLOGICAL AND VIROLOGICAL STUDIES OF LYMPHOCYTIC CHORIOMENINGITIS VIRUS(LCMV) IN LABORATORY ANIMALS.

用间接荧光抗体法检测了日本兔类动物群体中的淋巴细胞脉络膜脑膜炎病毒(LCMV)抗体。结果表明，SPF小鼠(3/152，2.2%)和常规小鼠(30/539，5.6%)存在抗体，抗体滴度在1：10~1：160之间。叙利亚仓鼠的抗体阳性率为2.2%(2/89)，黑线姬鼠的抗体阳性率为2.9%(2/68)，日本收获鼠的抗体阳性率为21.4%(3/14)。此外，在日本西部捕获的几种啮齿动物中，有8.6%(19/222)的动物抗体阳性，滴度相当。而在蒙古沙鼠、鼠兔、豚鼠和大鼠的血清中均未检测到该抗体。这些结果表明，在日本和西方国家的实验动物和野生啮齿动物中都存在LCMV感染，并指出了实验室和野生啮齿动物中LCMV微生物监测的重要性。病毒分离试验结果为阴性。野鼠LCMV的再分离研究应在不久的将来进行。

INDIRECT FLUORESCENT ANTIBODY METHOD WAS APPLIED FOR A DETECTION OF LYMPHOCYTIC CHORIOMENINGITIS VIRUS(LCMV) ANTIBODY IN COLONIES OF LABORATOREY ANIMALS IN JAPAN. THE RESULTS SHOWED THAT THE ANTIBODY EXIST IN SPF MICE(3/152, 2.2%) AND CONVENTIONAL MICE(30/539, 5.6%) WITH LOW TITERS RANGING FROM 1:10 TO 1:160. THE ANTIBODY WAS ALSO DETECTED IN 2.2%(2/89) OF SYRIAN HAMSTERS, AND 2.9%(2/68) OF APODEMUS AGRARIUS, 21.4%(3/14) OF JAPANESE HARVEST MICE WHICH HAVE BEEN MAINTAINED AS LABORATORY COLONY FOR SEVERAL YEARS. FURTHERMORE, 8.6%(19/222) ANTIBODY POSITIVE ANIMALS WITH COMPARATIVE TITERS WERE DETECTED IN THE SEVERAL SPECIES OF RODENTS CAPTURED IN WESTERN PARTS OF JAPAN. HOWEVER, THE ANTIBODY WAS NOT DEMONSTRATED IN THE SERA OF MONGOLIAN GERBIL, SUNCUS MURINUS, GUINEA PIG AND RAT, THUS FAR. THESE RESULTS SUGGEST THAT LCMV INFECTION IS PRESENT IN LABORATORY ANIMALS AND WILD RODENTS IN JAPAN AS WELL AS WESTERN COUNTRIES, AND POINTED OUT THE IMPORTANCE OF MICROBIOLOGICAL MONITORING FOR LCMV IN LABORATORY AND WILD RODENTS. A TRIAL OF VIRUS ISOLATION WAS RESULTED IN NEGATIVE. REISOLATION STUDY OF LCMV FROM WILD RODENTS SHOULD BE CONDUCTED IN NEAR FUTURE.