Reduced clearance of respiratory syncytial virus infection in a preterm lamb model

David K Meyerholz; Branka Grubor; Sasha J Fach; Randy E Sacco; Howard D Lehmkuhl; Jack M Gallup; Mark R Ackermann

doi:10.1016/j.micinf.2004.08.006

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Reduced clearance of respiratory syncytial virus infection in a preterm lamb model

Journal article

Peer reviewed

Reduced clearance of respiratory syncytial virus infection in a preterm lamb model

David K Meyerholz, Branka Grubor, Sasha J Fach, Randy E Sacco, Howard D Lehmkuhl, Jack M Gallup and Mark R Ackermann

Microbes and infection, Vol.6(14), pp.1312-1319

2004

DOI: 10.1016/j.micinf.2004.08.006

PMCID: PMC2791065

PMID: 15555538

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https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/2791065View

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Abstract

Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) causes significant respiratory disease in children worldwide. For the study of severe RSV disease seen in preterm infants, a suitable animal model is lacking. The novel hypothesis of this study was that preterm lambs are susceptible to bovine RSV (bRSV) infection, an analogous pneumovirus with ruminant host specificity, and that there would be age-dependent differences in select RSV disease parameters. During RSV infection, preterm lambs had elevated temperatures and respiration rates with mild anorexia and cough compared to controls. Gross lesions included multifocal consolidation and atelectasis with foci of hyperinflation. Microscopic lesions included multifocal alveolar septal thickening and bronchiolitis. Immunohistochemistry localized the RSV antigen to all layers of bronchiolar epithelium from a few basal cells to numerous sloughing epithelia. A few mononuclear cells were also immunoreactive. To assess for age-dependent differences in RSV infection, neonatal lambs were infected similarly to the preterm lambs or with a high-titer viral inoculum. Using morphometry at day 7 of infection, preterm lambs had significantly more cellular immunoreactivity for RSV antigen ( P <0.05) and syncytial cell formation ( P <0.05) than either group of neonatal lambs. This work suggests that perinatal RSV clearance is age-dependent, which may explain the severity of RSV infection in preterm infants. The preterm lamb model is useful for assessing age-dependent mechanisms of severe RSV infection.

Antigens

Animal models

Premature infant

Respiratory syncytial virus

Details

Title: Subtitle: Reduced clearance of respiratory syncytial virus infection in a preterm lamb model
Creators: David K Meyerholz - Department of Veterinary Pathology, Iowa State University, 2740 Veterinary Medicine, Ames, IA 50011-1250, USA
Branka Grubor - Department of Veterinary Pathology, Iowa State University, 2740 Veterinary Medicine, Ames, IA 50011-1250, USA
Sasha J Fach - Respiratory Diseases of Livestock, National Animal Disease Center, ARS/USDA, Ames, IA 50010, USA
Randy E Sacco - Respiratory Diseases of Livestock, National Animal Disease Center, ARS/USDA, Ames, IA 50010, USA
Howard D Lehmkuhl - Respiratory Diseases of Livestock, National Animal Disease Center, ARS/USDA, Ames, IA 50010, USA
Jack M Gallup - Department of Veterinary Pathology, Iowa State University, 2740 Veterinary Medicine, Ames, IA 50011-1250, USA
Mark R Ackermann - Department of Veterinary Pathology, Iowa State University, 2740 Veterinary Medicine, Ames, IA 50011-1250, USA
Resource Type: Journal article
Publication Details: Microbes and infection, Vol.6(14), pp.1312-1319
DOI: 10.1016/j.micinf.2004.08.006
PMID: 15555538
PMCID: PMC2791065
NLM abbreviation: Microbes Infect
ISSN: 1286-4579
eISSN: 1769-714X
Publisher: Elsevier SAS
Language: English
Date published: 2004
Academic Unit: Pathology
Record Identifier: 9984083237002771

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