The susceptibility of pregnant mice to encephalomyocarditis (EMC) virus infection on different days of gestation

Pregnant mice of the BALB/c CrSlc strain were experimentally infected with the D variant of encephalomyocarditis virus (EMC-D, 5 × 10² PFU/head) on three different gestational days (GD). Mice were intraperitoneally inoculated with EMC-D on 11, 13 and 15 GD and sacrificed 3 days post inoculation. There was no significant difference in the fetal mortality among all inoculation groups. Placenta showed higher virus titer than fetus and dam's serum in all inoculation groups, and the virus titer of the fetus was lowest in the 15GD group. Histopathological changes and signals of viral RNAs detected by in situ hybridization were observed almost restricted to the spongiotrophoblast layer of the placenta in all inoculation groups, and the signals were strongest in the 11GD group. In the fetus of the 11GD group, signals of viral RNAs were also seen in myocardium and hepatocytes. Ultrastructurally, intracytoplasmic aggregations of virus-like particles in crystalline array were observed in trophoblast cells and giant cells in the spongiotrophoblast layer in all inoculation groups.