[The effect of viruses on megakaryocytes in vitro (author's transl)].

Bone marrow suspensions from adolescent rats contain 0.3% megakaryocytes; this rate decreases to almost zero within 72--96 h cultivation in vitro in Leighton tubes because of thrombocytopoesis. Such cultures were inoculated immediately after seeding with different viruses in high multiplicity. After infection with herpes simplex virus type 1 or adenovirus type 2, no deviation of the number and morphology of the megakaryocytes was seen when compared with control cultures. However, after infection with vaccinia virus and, still more marked, with Newcastle disease virus, morphological alterations and interference with thrombocytopoesis were seen. Furthermore, a considerable portion of the altered megakaryocytes persisted for 72--96 h. Finally, the cytoplasm of the megakaryocytes after infection with vaccinia virus or NDV, but not with HSV 1 or adenovirus 2, showed a specific immunofluorescence with antiviral antisera, which indicates a direct cellular involvement and multiplication of vaccinia virus and NDV in megakaryocytes.