Effect of an inapparent viral encephalitis on the levels of lysosomal glycosidases in mouse brain.

The changes in the activity of several lysosomal glycosidases of mouse brain which occured during an inapparent infection with the A774 strain (avirulent) of Semliki Forest Virus (SFV) have been related to the histopathological and viral changes caused by the disease. N-acetyl-beta-D-glucosaminidase, N-acetyl-beta-D-galactosaminidase and beta-glucuronidase were significantly elevated between post-inoculation day 7 and 28. Lesions characteristic of encephalitis were also observed between these times. Histochemical and biochemical of encephalitis were also observed between these times. Histochemical and biochemical observations showed that not all areas of brain were affected equally; the cerebellum, parts of the mid-brain and the spinal cord showed the most sevre biochemical and histochemical changes, whilst histopathological lesions were more evenly distributed. The biochemical results have been related to the histological, histochemical and virological findings and the production of glycosidases from 2 or more cellcular types has been postulated.