TRANSMISSION OF INFLUENZA BY A FILTERABLE VIRUS

Abstract

From sputa of cases of epidemic influenza in Puerto Rico, a transmissible agent was obtained, which appears to be a virus. The material was injected into ferrets and mice intranasally under ether anesthesia, and was transmissible in series through both spp. In ferrets, in the 6th passage, pulmonary consolidation was noted and persisted thereafter. In mice, the characteristic lesion was an extensive pulmonary consolidation. The histological picture was much the same in both, viz., a swelling of the alveolar walls, considerable alveolar edema, and a cellular exudate consisting primarily of large round cells of phagocytic type. There was a distinct small round-cell perivascular infiltration. Similar results were obtained with material from a case of contact infection. These observations agree with those currently reported by Andrews, Laidlaw and Smith.