Arthropod transmission of rabbit papillomatosis.

The virus of rabbit papillomatosis, a neoplastic disease studied intensively in relation to cancer because of its tendency toward malignant transformation, has been successfully transmitted by Aedes aegypti, Rhodnius prolixus, and Triatoma infestans from papillomas induced in cottontail rabbits, and by the first species mentioned, from papillomas induced in domestic rabbits. This was accomplished by interrupted feeding, feeding after an interval of several days from the infective meal, or by application of a suspension of the mouthparts of the insects either immediately after their infective meal or several days later. Insect transmission was also successful from the satellite growths resulting from subcutaneous extensions of the typical papillomas of infected cottontails, and from certain peculiar, subcutaneous nodules, arising rapidly after infection, and not heretofore described. Although the latter growths resembled rabbit fibromas, antibodies to fibroma virus could not be demonstrated by neutralization tests with the sera of the animals involved.