Impairment of Deep Lung Clearance by Influenza Virus Infection

Abstract

This paper reports experimentally observed effects of influenza virus infection on pulmonary clearance of chromic oxide dust tagged with chromium 51 (⁵¹Cr₂O₃). The usual course of this viral infection produces a stage of acute pneumonitis at 10 to 14 days after exposure, with subsequent, and often permanent, fibrotic scarring of the lung tissue. When ⁵¹Cr₂O₃ was administered simultaneously with, or at 1, 3, 5, 9, or 56 weeks after, virus inoculation, a marked deficiency in pulmonary clearance of the dust was noted. The distribution of retained chromium in the lungs of infected animals was found to depend on the relation between time of infection and time of ⁵¹Cr₂O₃ administration, a relationship which suggests that individuals with respiratory infections are at increased risk from exposure to toxic and radioactive particles.