Perspectives in Virology

As the name implies, this book attempts to give a broad picture of new developments in the field of virology, and in this it succeeds admirably. The volume represents the proceedings of a symposium, dedicated to the late Dr. F. R. Beaudette, an outstanding virologist in the field of animal virus diseases. A representative sample of new discoveries and new problems in virology-in the basic science area, epidemiology, and immunology-is presented. The participants in the symposium are well-recognized scientists from Europe and the USA who present their material in a straightforward and readable manner. Several papers are devoted to the biochemical aspects of virus cell relationships and the mechanisms of viral reproduction. Fraenkel-Conrat describes experiments with tobacco mosaic virus, which is known to consist of an inner cylinder of ribonucleic acid, and an outer cylinder of protein. The nucleic acid alone was found to be able to perform all viral functions in the absence of the protein, to infect the host cell and transmit all the genetic information required for the production of both progeny virus nucleic acid and protein. Schiifer reports on work with fowl plague, using it as a model for studying the composition and mode of multiplication of myxoviruses. Using the fluorescent antibody technique of Coons and Kaplan, the steps in the formation of new virus in infected cells was followed. A number of papers are concerned with the relation of viruses and cancer. Kilham reports a series of experiments on transformation of the benign Shope fibroma virus into highly fatal myxoma virus in tissue culture, using heat killed preparations of myxoma virus as a transforming agent. The extraordinary range of viral tumors, from avian leukosis to the various mammalian tumors and the recently discovered mouse leukemia viruses, are reviewed by Beard, who concludes that "it is impossible to conceive that the phenomena of viral neoplasia are unique to animals other than man," and notes that a concerted effort to find analogous relations between viruses and rumors in man is indicated. The demonstration of antibody formation and classical immunological reactions associated with the mouse leukemia virus reported by Friend, adds another important chapter to the subject of viruses and malignancy. Stewart and Eddy summarize their work with the remarkable SE polyoma virus, which also induces antibody formation, and therefore behaves like an "ordinary" virus, in spite of its somewhat spectacular characteristics. The common viruses, influenza, measles, and the host of new entero, adeno, and myxoviruses, are also discussed in a series of excellent papers. In "Asian Influenza: A Challenge to Epidemiology," Andrewes reviews the possible origin of the recent epidemic from an animal reservoir in China. Enders et al. brings the measles story up to date with work on the attenuation of this agent by repeated passage in tissue culture and the possible use of the attenuated virus as an active immunizing agent. The discussions by participants in the symposium are often as long as the papers and contain many provocative points. It is impossible for one small book to cover all of current virology, but this book accomplishes its