Effect of Nitrogen Dioxide on Influenza Virus Infection in Hamster Trachea Organ Culture 1

Summary

Pretreatment of hamster tra-cheal organ cultures with 2 ppm NO₂ for intermittent 1.5-hr 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 tra-cheas held in filtered air. A mechanism for dissociation between morphological and functional events is suggested.