Influenza A Virus Infection Causes Chronic Lung Disease Linked to Sites of Active Viral RNA Remnants.

ABSTRACT: Clinical and experimental observations suggest that chronic lung disease is linked to respiratory viral infection. However, the long-term aspect of this relationship is not yet defined using a virus that replicates at properly high levels in humans and a corresponding animal model. In this study, we show that influenza A virus infection achieves 1 × 10⁶-fold increases in viral load in the lung and dose-dependent severity of acute illness in mice. Moreover, these events are followed by persistence of negative- and positive-strand viral RNA remnants for 15 wk and chronic lung disease for at least 26 wk postinfection. The disease is manifested by focal areas of bronchiolization and mucus production that contain increased levels of viral RNA remnants along with mucin Muc5ac and Il13

SUBMITTER: Keeler SP 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6179922 | biostudies-literature | 2018 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature