Viral-associated alterations in hematopoiesis in the mouse

A variant of Rauscher leukemia virus, designated RLV-A, induces a protracted hematopoietic dysplasia characterized by hepatosplenomegaly with erythroblastosis, severe terminal anemia, thrombocytopenia, and erythroblastemia. Erythrocyte and platelet survival is reduced and the ferrokinetic data suggest that iron utilization is faulty. Stem cells (CFU-S, CFU-C, CFU-MK, CFU-E, BFU-E) are reduced in the bone marrow but increased in terminal spleens. The cause(s) of these viral-associated alterations in stem cell numbers is not known.