NR AUFT
AU ter Meulen,V.; Wecker,E.
TI [Slow virus infections of the central nervous system: a concept of a slow cell death (author's transl)]
OT Slow-Virus-Infektionen des zentralen Nervensystems: Das Konzept eines langsamen Zelltodes
QU Immunität und Infektion 1975 Oct; 3(5): 211-8
PT journal article
AB Slow virus infections of the central nervous system are characterized by a long incubation period (months or years), a protracted clinical course and by an organ specifity. The neuropathological findings are mainly those of an encephalopathy or encephalomyelitis. The infectious agents responsible for the encephalopathies exhibit unusual properties and so far no nucleic acid genomes or antigen structures have been detected. In addition, the agents show an unusual resistance to certain physico-chemical treatments. In contrast to these findings the isolated viruses from encephalomyelitides are not different from conventional viruses. The following parameters which could lead to a slow virus infection of the nature of encephalomyelitides will be discussed. Genetic make-up and/or impairment of the immunological defence mechanism of the host. Mutation of a conventional virus to become neurovirulent, and changes in the mode of virus-replication which could result in virus persistence. Slow virus infections of the central nervous system provide a model for many other diseases of the CNS which are at present of unknown etiology.
SP deutsch
PO Deutschland