Ocular tropism of influenza A viruses: identification of H7 subtype-specific host responses in human respiratory and ocular cells.

ABSTRACT: Highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) H7 virus infection in humans frequently results in conjunctivitis as a major symptom. However, our understanding of what properties govern virus subtype-specific tropism, and of the host responses responsible for eliciting ocular inflammation and pathogenicity following influenza virus infection, are not well understood. To study virus-host interactions in ocular tissue, we infected primary human corneal and conjunctival epithelial cells with H7, H5, and H1 subtype viruses. We found that numerous virus subtypes were capable of infecting and replicating in multiple human ocular cell types, with the highest titers observed with highly pathogenic H7N7 and H5N1 viruses. Similar patterns of proinflammatory cytokine and chemokine production following infl

SUBMITTER: Belser JA 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3196405 | biostudies-literature | 2011 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature