Etiological Relationship of Visceral and Neural Lymphomatosis

DURING the past 14 years this Laboratory has directed all of its facilities toward an attempt to solve some of the problems inherent to the avian leukosis complex. Adherence to the general concept that lymphomatosis, including visceral, neural, ocular and osteopetrotic forms, belongs to the leukosis complex has influenced a number of workers to group all of these forms together in any discussion of this disease complex. It may be productive to reanalyze previous sets of data considering the possibility that certain of the various types of lymphomatosis are distinct entities and caused by different agents. Such a revaluation may clarify some of the existing opinions on the transmission of lymphomatosis. Jungherr, Doyle and Johnson (1941), acting as a committee for this Laboratory, first proposed a tentative nomenclature for the avian leukosis complex. It was distinctly stated that this inclusive term did not imply etiologic unity for the different …