Role of T cells in feline infectious peritonitis virus infection of suckling mice.

Abstract
Suckling nude (nu/nu) and heterozygous (nu/+) mice of age 2 wk were inoculated intracerebrally with feline infectious peritonitis virus. Mortality of nu/+ mice was significantly lower than that of nu/nu mice. The resistance of mn/+ sucklings was considerably affected by anti-Thy 1.2 serum treatment, and mortality of nu/nu mice was reduced by transfer of T cells from 2 wk old nu/+ mice. Serum antibody was not detected by immunofluorescence in animals of any group surviving at 10 days postinoculation.