STUDIES ON THE ETIOLOGY OF SPONTANEOUS CONJUNCTIVAL FOLLICULOSIS OF RABBITS : I. TRANSMISSION AND FILTRATION EXPERIMENTS

Spontaneous conjunctival folliculosis is widespread among various species of rabbits. It exists in two forms: Type I, in which the lesions are localized and the disease is relatively inactive, and Type II, in which the follicles are closely distributed over the entire surface of the conjunctivae and the affection is more active and characterized by extensive inflammatory reactions. One type can be converted into the other either by experimental methods or by natural processes. The disease can be transmitted from rabbit to rabbit by means of subconjunctival inoculation of suspensions of the affected tissues or by instillation of such material into the conjunctival sac, or even by mere contact of folliculosis animals with rabbits having smooth conjunctivae. It is plain that the disease is an infection. The causal agent of the infection is not filtrable through Seitz discs that retain Serratia marcescens nor through Berkefeld V candles that permit the passage of this organism. Furthermore, the lesions of the spontaneous or of the experimental disease do not exhibit the cytotropic effects or the inclusion bodies suggestive of the action of an ultramicroscopic virus. They are characterized, on the other hand, by a persistent and progressive chronicity and show certain resemblances to the granulomata. The evidence suggests that the spontaneous conjunctival folliculosis of rabbits is due to a microorganism—one having a low grade pathogenic action. In a paper shortly to be published, a bacterium capable of reproducing folliculosis in normal rabbits will be described.