Junín virus infection of guinea pigs: electron microscopic studies of peripheral blood and bone marrow

Thin sections of peripheral white blood cells and samples of bone marrow from guinea pigs infected with Junín virus were examined by electron microscopy. In peripheral blood cells, 40% of the granulocytes showed cytoplasmic lysis seven days after viral infection. After day 11 up to 80% of these cells showed morphological alterations. However, no intra- or extracellular viral particles were detected in these samples. Microscopy of bone marrow preparations revealed that 10% of the cells were altered five days after infection, and approximately 50% were affected after nine days. At this stage the megakaryocyte channels were seen to contain pleomorphic particles with a mean diameter of 80-100 nm. These particles had a unit membrane envelope and internal dense granules similar to those observed during other arenavirus infections. Therefore, it is suggested that the effect of Junín virus upon megakaryocytes may be a factor responsible for the acute thrombocytopenia observed in Argentine hemorrhagic fever.