FAMILY CHARONACEAE 



1265 



FAMILY IV. CHARONACEAE FAM. NOV. 



Viruses of the Yellow-Fever Group, inducing diseases mainlj' characterized b}' fever 

 and necrosis of tissues in the absence of obvious macule, papule, or vesicle formation 

 or of conspicuous involvement of nerve cells. 



Key to the genera of family Charonaceae. 



I. Viruses of the Typical Yellow-Fever Group. 

 Genus I. Charon, p. 1265. 

 II. Viruses of the Influenza Group. 



Genus II. Tarpeia, p. 1268. 

 III. Viruses of the Hog-Cholera Group. 

 Genus III. Tortor, p. 1275. 



Genus I. Charon gen. nov. 



Viruses of the Typical Yellow-Fever Group, inducing diseases mainly characterized 

 by acute non-contagious fever. Vectors dipterous insects, so far as known. CJeneric 

 name from Latin Charon, ferryman of the Lower World. 



The type species is Charon evagatus spec. nov. 



Key to the species of germs Charon. 



I. Vectors mosquitoes. 



1. Charon evagatus. 

 II. Vectors unknown, perhaps mosquitoes. 



2. Charon vallis. 



1. Charon evagatus spec. nov. From 

 Latin evagor, to spread abroad. 



Common name : Yellow-fever virus. 



Hosts : HOMINIDAE—Homo sapiens 

 L., man. Experimentally, also Cerco- 

 pithecus tantalus Ogilby; C. aethiops, 

 African guenon (symptomless) ; Cerco- 

 cebus torquatus (Kerr), collared manga- 

 bey; Mus musculus L., mouse; Microtus 

 agrestis, field vole; Sciurus vulgaris L., 

 red squirrel; Macaca mulatta (Zimmer- 

 mann), rhesus monkey; Macacus sinicus 

 Indian crown monkey ; M. cynonwlgus ; 

 M. speciosus ; Erinaceus europaeus , hedge 

 hog; Gallus gallus (L.), chicken (tol- 

 erant); Dasyprocta aguti, agouti (serial 

 passage fails). 



Insusceptible species : Cat, ferret, rab- 

 bit, rat; Cricetus auratus, golden ham- 

 ster; Apodemus sylvaticus, wood vole; 

 Evotomys glareolus, bank vole ; pigeon, 

 canary, pipistrelle bat ; Cricetomys gam- 

 bianus, pouched rat; dog, goat. 



Geographical distribution : Tropical re- 



gions in general, especially Central and 

 South America, West Indies, West 

 Africa; anti-mosquito campaigns have 

 tended to eradicate yellow-fever virus 

 from parts of its former range. 



Induced disease : In man, mild cases 

 may occur, especially in natives where the 

 disease is endemic, but in Europeans 

 generally sudden fever without marked 

 change in pulse rate after a 3 to 6-day 

 incubation period; severe frontal head- 

 ache, pains in the loin and legs and epi- 

 gastric pain; gradual decrease in tem- 

 perature to 98 or 99° F, weakening of 

 pulse and slowing of heart beat in the 

 absence of further temperature changes; 

 jaundice, especially in sclerae, often in 

 skin; albumen in urine, later bile -pig- 

 ments also present ; hemorrhages frequent 

 especially in alimentary canal ; fatty and 

 necrotic changes in the liver; acute 

 degeneration of renal parenchyma, splenic 

 congestion ; death may occur in the early 

 acute state, but is more likelj' about the 



