Effect of Nitrogen Dioxide on Influenza Virus Infection in Hamster Trachea Organ Culture

Abstract

Pretreatment of hamster tracheal organ cultures with 2 ppm NO2 for intermittent 1.5 h periods prior to influenza A/PR/8 virus infection decreased ciliary activity, without significant changes in morphology, when compared to infected explants exposed to filtered air. Tracheal organ cultures exposed to NO2 permitted a more rapid production of virus than tracheas held in filtered air. A mechanism for dissociation between morphological and functional events is suggested.