Lymphocytic choriomeningitis in a hamster colony causes infection of hospital personnel.

A series of febrile illnesses, some severe, among hospital personnel was traced to an outbreak of lymphocytic choriomeningitis in a hospital research colony of Syrian hamsters. By rapid virus isolation and identification techniques, a definitive diagnosis was made 5 days after specimens were received. This outbreak emphasizes the dangers of working with experimental hamsters and tumor cell lines passaged in them.