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ENHANCED AND PROLONGED PULMONARY INFLUENZA VIRUS INFECTION FOLLOWING PHOSGENE INHALATION
Citation:
Ehrlich, J. AND G. Burleson. ENHANCED AND PROLONGED PULMONARY INFLUENZA VIRUS INFECTION FOLLOWING PHOSGENE INHALATION. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Washington, D.C., EPA/600/J-91/309 (NTIS PB92124650), 1991.
Description:
Animal infectivity models have been important in the demonstration of enhanced susceptibility to viral and bacterial infection as a result of low level toxicant exposure. his study demonstrated an enhanced and prolonged viral infection using an influenza virus infectivity model in the rat following exposure to the toxicant gas phosgene. ischer-344 rats exposed to either air or to a sublethal concentration of phosgene demonstrated peak pulmonary influenza virus titers 1 day after infection. irus titers in rats exposed to air declined rapidly falling below detectable levels by 4 days after infection. owever, a significantly enhanced and prolonged pulmonary influenza virus infection was observed on days and 4 after infection in rats exposed to phosgene. irus was cleared below detectable limits on day 5 after infection in animals exposed to phosgene. hus, inhalation of sublethal concentrations of phosgene resulted in an increased severity of pulmonary influenza virus infection. his study provides a demonstration of the effective use of a rat viral infectivity model to detect the immunotoxicity of inhaled pollutants. his model will allow future studies to focus on the immunological mechanism(s) responsible for the enhanced and prolonged pulmonary influenza virus infection.