Double infection of BALB/c mice with Rauscher murine leukemia and Herpes simplex virus type 2.

When BALB/c mice were first infected with Rauscher murine leukemia virus (MuLV-R) and then superinfected with Herpes simplex virus type 2 (HSV-2) the inhibition of the evolution of splenomegaly was observed. The effect did not depend on the route of HSV-2 administration. Experiments in which potent anti-interferon serum was administered to double infected mice suggested that the antagonism between MuLV-R and HSV-2 was not mediated by endogenous interferon, HSV-2 was found to replicate in the LPS stimulated spleen cells which are also target cells for MuLV-R; this suggested that the intrinsic interference between both viruses could take place. Mice with Rauscher virus induced disease were found to be more susceptible to infection with Herpesviruses than normal mice.