Widespread Virus Replication in Alveoli Drives Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome in Aerosolized H5N1 Influenza Infection of Macaques.

ABSTRACT: Human infections with highly pathogenic avian influenza A (H5N1) virus are frequently fatal but the mechanisms of disease remain ill-defined. H5N1 infection is associated with intense production of proinflammatory cytokines, but whether this cytokine storm is the main cause of fatality or is a consequence of extensive virus replication that itself drives disease remains controversial. Conventional intratracheal inoculation of a liquid suspension of H5N1 influenza virus in nonhuman primates likely results in efficient clearance of virus within the upper respiratory tract and rarely produces severe disease. We reasoned that small particle aerosols of virus would penetrate the lower respiratory tract and blanket alveoli where target cells reside. We show that inhalation of aerosolized H5N1 in

SUBMITTER: Wonderlich ER 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5751439 | biostudies-literature | 2017 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature