PARAMYXOVIRUSES AND PAGETS-DISEASE

Using the technique of in situ hybridisation, we extended our initial studies of the occurrence of canine distemper and measles virus in Paget's disease. Bone samples from untreated patients and patients treated with 3-amino-hydroxypropylidene 1,1 bisphosphonate pamidronate (APD) were examined for canine distemper nucleocapsid (CDV-N), measles nucleocapsid (MV-N), respiratory syncytial virus fusion (RSV-F), and simian virus 5 haemoglutinin-neuraminidase (SV5-HN) sequences using S-35-labelled sense and antisense riboprobes. Only CDV-N mRNA was detected in osteoclasts, osteoblasts, and mononuclear cells. In untreated Paget's patients, 63.5% were found to have CDV sequences residing in bone cells, and 48.2% of those undergoing APD treatment were still found to have the viral sequences. RSV-F mRNA was only found in one patient. None of the other paramyxoviruses tested were detected. This study shows that CDV can infect a human host and may be an aetiological agent of Paget's disease of bone.