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Abstract. Two strains of Mongolian gerbils (Meriones unguiculatus), Tumble Brook (TUM) and Japan Medical Science (JMS), were intraperitoneally inoculated with the D variant of encephalomyocarditis virus (EMC-D) and killed 3 days later. Mortality was significantly higher in females than in males. Evidence of viral replication was detected in the heart of both strains and in the pancreas of the TUM strain. Histopathological alterations were found in the heart and pancreas. Heart lesions involved foci of necrosis with inflammatory cell infiltration and calcification in both strains. Pancreatic lesions were restricted to the exocrine glands; islets of Langerhans were rarely and secondarily involved in the extensive destruction of exocrine glands. Severe acinar cell necrosis with marked inflammatory edema was conspicuous in TUM, whereas only slight acinar cell involvement was detected in JMS gerbils. Immunoperoxidase staining showed viral antigens in intracytoplasmic vacuoles in damaged acinar cells.Encephalomyocarditis (EMC) virus was first isolated from pigs with myocarditis in Panama14 and has been known as an important cause of spontaneous porcine myocarditis.'J2 Small rodents are suspected to be reservoir hosts or carriers.2 EMC virus has also been a useful tool for investigations of diabetes mellitus; e.g., the virus induces a diabetes-like syndrome in mice.9 Detailed virologic and histopathologic studies on EMC virus infection have been done in mi~e.~,~JO This paper describes the virology and histopathology of Mongolian gerbils (Meriones unguiculatus) infected with the

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