Experimental cytomegalovirus infection and the developing mouse inner ear: in vivo and in vitro studies.

Mouse cytomegalovirus causes perilabyrinthitis in the cochlea following intracranial inoculation of the newborn mouse. In spite of infection of cranial nerve ganglion cells and Schwann cells the organ of Corti achieves normal adult morphology including efferent nerve endings. No involvement of neuroaxons is seen. In comparison human cytomegalovirus infection causes endolabyrinthitis without involving periotic connective tissues or nerves even in the presence of meningoencephalitis. The lack of epithelial infection and susceptibility of periotic connective tissues to mouse cytomegalovirus was confirmed by infection of fetal mouse otocysts in organ culture. The mouse model of cytomegalovirus ear infection shows greater similarities to other herpesvirus infections of the ear such as varicella-zoster than to human cytomegalovirus and thus remains extremely useful for the study of herpetic neuronal and ear infection.