Histological and Histochemical Studies of Myocardial Lesions in BALBc/Cr Mice

Myocardial lesions were noticed in BALBc/Cr mice during experiments with Moloney sarcoma virus (MSV). A study was initiated using unifected BALBc/Cr mice to determine whether these lesions were the result of a viral infection. Sixty percent of the females and 30% of the males used were found to have macroscopic lesions (mainly white spots on the right ventricle). The reported lesions were studied both histologically and histochemically. The animals were also examined for parasites such as Toxoplasma and tapeworm larvae, and were found negative. The investigation, which is still in progress, demonstrates the spontaneity of myocardial lesions in BALBc/Cr mice.