Assuntos
Vírus da Leucose Aviária/patogenicidade , Galinhas , Herpesviridae/patogenicidade , Doença de Marek/microbiologia , Neoplasias Experimentais/etiologia , Doenças das Aves Domésticas/microbiologia , Animais , Anticorpos Antivirais/análise , Leucose Aviária/imunologia , Leucose Aviária/mortalidade , Vírus da Leucose Aviária/isolamento & purificação , Sangue/microbiologia , Doenças Transmissíveis/microbiologia , Vida Livre de Germes , Herpesviridae/isolamento & purificação , Doença de Marek/imunologia , Doença de Marek/mortalidade , Testes de Neutralização , Doenças das Aves Domésticas/imunologia , Doenças das Aves Domésticas/mortalidade , Fatores de Tempo , Replicação ViralRESUMO
The DNA-containing Epstein-Barr herpesvirus has been implicated in the etiology of Burkitt's lymphoma, a malignant tumor of children in Africa. Recently, however, particles possessing four biochemical characteristics of RNA tumor viruses have also been identified in these tumors. The fact that both types of viruses are found suggests that an interaction between them may be playing a role in the etiology of Burkitt's lymphoma. To explore this possibility with a defined animal model, experiments were performed with the avian Marek's disease, a malignant lymphoproliferative disease associated with a herpesvirus. Controlled contact studies demonstrated that tumorigenesis in a line of isolator-derived, barrier-sustained, specific pathogen-free chickens requires exposure to both the Marek's disease herpesvirus and an avian leukosis virus, Rous-associated virus, type 2. Exposure to either agent alone did not result in tumors. Molecular hybridization experiments to cytoplasmic RNA from similarly contact-exposed conventional Cornell S-line chickens provided further evidence for the occurrence of an interaction between Marek's disease herpesvirus and the avian leukosis virus.