SEARCH FOR ONCOGENIC PROPERTIES IN VARIOUS VIRUSES FOUND IN MAN: POSITIVE RESULTS WITH ADENOVIRUS TYPES 12 AND 18

Since the inoculation of newborn hamsters with polyoma virus results both in necrotizing lesions and virus-free tumours the possibility was raised that necrotizing viruses found in man acted similarly. Accordingly a group of viruses found in man were tested for oncogenic activity by injecting them into newborn hamsters. Most were observed for more than a year. As yet only Adenovirus Types 12 and 18 have induced tumours; the oncogenic properties of these were reported by Trentin et al., and Huebner et al., respectively, while this study was in progress. The significance of the findings with regard to man cannot as yet be evaluated but the point is made that Adenovirus Types 12 and 18, like polyoma and SV40 virus, only cause neoplasia under special circumstances. Further work will be required to discover if these circumstances or their equivalent occur under conditions of the natural spread of infection.