Abstract
Mechanisms of newborns susceptibility to viral infection was studied in A strain mice infected with mouse hepatitis virus type 3(MHV3). Virus was regularly passaged in susceptible adult DBA/2 mice, prepared by liver homogeneization and titered by LD50 determination. Normal adult A strain mice were always resistant to virus. Young isogenic mice however were highly susceptible and 100% of them died when infected during the first two weeks of age. Resistance to disease developed suddenly during the 3d week of life. Passive transfer of serum from immune A mice failed to protect young animals. When newborns from immunized A strain mothers were injected with MHV3 the mortality was similar to that of control groups. In addition A strain newborns were not protected against virus infection either by injection of isogenic spleen cells or by means of educated thymus cells. However when A strain mice were thymectomized at birth they failed to resist MHV3 infection when tested at adult age. Therefore, along with cell mediated immunity it appears that other mechanism(s), e.g. viral replication in susceptible target cells may play an important role in resistance of mice to MHV3.(Supported by INSERM ATP 5).
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Levy-leblond, E., Leprevost, C. & Dupuy, J. AGE DEPENDENCE OF SENSITIVITY TO MHV3 INFECTION IN RESISTANT MICE. Pediatr Res 8, 134 (1974). https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-197402000-00046
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-197402000-00046