Bittnera Virus

Bittner Virus: Description, History and Significance

Bittner virus, also known as mammary factor, milk factor or mouse mammary factor, is a virus that infects mice and can lead to the development of mammary cancer in these animals. The virus was named after the American oncologist and geneticist John Bittner (J.J. Bittner, 1904-1961), who first described it in 1936.

The story of Bittner's discovery of the virus began in the 1930s, when Bittner and his colleagues noticed that mice that were efficient milk producers were more likely to develop mammary cancer. They also discovered that this cancer tendency was passed on from mother to offspring and was associated with the presence of a special factor in the mother's milk, which they called "milk factor."

Bittner and his colleagues conducted further research and discovered that milk factor is a virus that is transmitted from a mouse to its offspring and can lead to the development of mammary cancer in the offspring. This virus was subsequently named the Bittner virus in honor of its discoverer.

Since then, many studies have been conducted to study the Bittner virus and its connection with the development of mammary gland cancer in mice. The study of this virus has also led to the development of new cancer treatments and an understanding of the mechanisms of cancer development in general.

However, despite the fact that Bittner virus is an important object of research in the field of oncology, it does not pose a threat to human health. The virus infects only mice and is not transmissible between different animal species or to humans.

Thus, the Bittner virus is an interesting object of research in the field of oncology and genetics, which allows us to better understand the mechanisms of cancer development and develop new treatment methods. However, it does not pose a threat to human health and is not a cause of cancer in humans.



Bittner virus is a disease caused by the ras virus, occurring in waves with intermittent fever, hemorrhages on the skin and mucous membranes, hemorrhagic cystitis, and pneumonia. The reservoir and carrier of the disease are mice. The source of infection for humans is blood and excreta of patients. Infection of the fetus occurs in utero. The pathogenesis has not been studied in detail. The mutation of the virus in the chromosome of the reproductive cell is essential, which is due to the presence of the virus in the cytoplasm and the ability to damage the cell membrane and exhibit enzymatic properties. Specific immune sera are detected. The diagnosis is based on the results of serological reactions, PCR amplification of a specific target DNA from saliva or blood. Penicillin and bactericidal drugs are used.

The first breast cancer virus isolated and studied belonged to the retrovirus family. The term “milk virus” is associated with the fact that a tumor appears in mice when infected biological material (“serum”) obtained from milk or a vaginal plug is injected. However, it should be noted that Menetrier syndrome was also observed during the experiment with parenteral administration of the cult