Hamster Polyomavirus Infection in a Pet Syrian Hamster (Mesocricetus auratus)

Abstract

Abstract. An approximately 8-week-old pet Syrian hamster (Mesocricetus auratus) with a 1-week history of dyspnea, hyporexia, and ataxia was submitted for necropsy. On gross examination, the hamster had multiple abdominal adhesions and enlargement of the mesenteric lymph node. Histologic evaluation revealed multicentric lymphoma of the liver, jejunum, mesenteric lymph node, testicular fat pad, and epididymis. Based on the hamster's age and the type and distribution of the lymphoma, a presumptive diagnosis of hamster polyomavirusinduced lymphoma was made. A specific polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was developed, which confirmed the diagnosis. An in situ PCR demonstrated hamster polyomavirus DNA within lymphocytes of the multicentric lymphoma and renal tubular epithelial cells and within clusters of enterocytes in the jejunum. These data are consistent with environmental dissemination of hamster polyomavirus virions through the renal tubular epithelium and into the urine and with fecal shedding of hamster polyomavirus virions; however, additional studies will be needed to confirm these observations.

Comparative Morphologic and Immunohistochemical Investigation of Spontaneously Occurring Thymomas in a Colony of European Hamsters

“…The first round of amplification was followed by additional 24 cycles of 1 minute/94 C, 2 minutes/50 C, and 1 minute/ 72 C. Cloned genomic DNA of BPV 1 (pBPV-1; kindly provided by P. M. Howley, Boston, MA) was used as a positive control. The ''touchdown'' PCR protocol 10 and HaPV-DNA detection were performed as recently described by Simmons et al 24 In brief, 0.25 M of each primer (HaPVf: GCC CAA CCC CAT TTT CAT CC, position within the VP1 sequence: 3277-3296; HaPVr: ACC CTT CAA ATG TGG GAG GC, position: 3718-3737; GenBank accession no. M26281) was used to detect a 460-bp fragment of HaPV-DNA (PCR conditions: 1 minute/94 C, 30 seconds/55 C, 1 minute/72 C).…”

Pathology in Practice

“…[2][3][4][5] It was first described in association with spontaneously arising skin tumors in a colony of Syrian hamsters in Germany, and subsequent inoculation of cellular extracts of virus into naïve newborn hamsters resulted in induction of lymphoma and leukemia. 1,4,5,9 In the case described in the present report, it was assumed that the pet hamster was infected prior to its purchase at 1 month of age because it was housed singly and had no interaction with other hamsters. 5,11 With natural HaPyV infection in Syrian hamsters, the virus is transmitted horizontally via urine.…”

Biology and Diseases of Hamsters

“…The virus has been isolated from the spleen and kidney of subclinically infected European hamsters, suggesting them as the natural host, with infection transferred to Syrian hamsters inadvertently after species co-mingling (Hannoun et al, 1974;Percy and Barthold, 2007). One syndrome occurs in naive juvenile hamsters that manifests as an epizootic multicentric lymphoma involving the mesentery, intestines, liver, kidney, and thymus (Barthold et al, 1987;Graffi et al, 1969;Simmons et al, 2001). HaPyV is unusual in that it displays tropism for both undifferentiated keratinocytes and also lymphocytes.…”

“…The syndrome observed in an individual hamster depends upon the immunological status of the animal and the age of the hamster when infected. Additionally, virus-containing shed keratinocytes or enterocytes released in the feces can be a source of infection (Simmons et al, 2001). Lymphoma may also be induced by injection of virus or viral DNA (Barthold et al, 1987;Graffi et al, 1969Graffi et al, , 1970.…”