STUDIES OF CELL-MEDIATED-IMMUNITY TO JUNIN VIRUS

  • 1 January 1978
    • journal article
    • research article
    • Vol. 22  (1) , 37-44
Abstract
Junin virus is uniformly lethal in newborn mice, but fails to kill adult animals. In older mice the immunological mechanism occurs when certain conditions are fulfilled. In Junin virus infection of mice, the development of the immunological mechanism occurs irrespectively of age. The induction of a regular cell-mediated immunity appears to be intimately related to multiple injections of the virus. These results were confirmed by the 51Cr release assay and by the effect of the transplanted sensitized cells. The extent of infection in the brain is another variable to be considered. Only when the virus reached high titers and was concentrated in the brain, the damage done by the immune attack is lethal. The data obtained suggest that Junin virus-sensitized spleen cells do not possess the ability to transfer significant antiviral effects to recipient preinfected newborn mice.