Canine distemper virus localised in bone cells of patients with Paget's disease.

The technique of in situ hybridisation was applied using radioactively labelled riboprobes to examine for the presence of canine distemper (CDV) and measles (MV) RNA in Paget's disease of bone. The results indicate that in 41% of Paget's patients, CDV RNA could be detected in osteoclasts, osteoblasts, and osteocytes, but not in controls. In contrast, RNA to the measles virus was not detected. We suggest that CDV may in some cases play a role in the aetiology of Paget's disease.