Alterations in Influenza Virus Pulmonary Pathology Induced by Diethyl Ether, Halothane, Enflurane, and Pentobarbital Anesthesia in Mice

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Abstract
Three wk old CD-1 mice infected with the PR-8 (mouse-adapted) strain of influenza virus while exposed to enflurane demonstrated a decrease in virus titers from the lungs of infected animals, less abnormality of lung histology and an increase in survival in animals as compared with those receiving the other anesthetics tested. Greater than 90% mortality occurred in groups of mice which inhaled aerosolized virus and received no anesthesia, pentobarbital, diethyl ether or halothane anesthesia 96 h following infection. Infected mice anesthetized with enflurane 96 h post-infection had significantly lower mortality rate (68%) when compared with the other groups. Halothane-anesthetized mice receiving intranasal influenza virus during anesthesia demonstrated increased survival and a delay in the mean day of death when compared with animals receiving either diethyl ether or pentobarbital anesthesia. Animals receiving enflurane during virus inoculation had an even lower mortality rate and a later mean day of death when compared with infected animals receiving any of the other 3 anesthetics. Examination of lungs from animals infected during anesthesia demonstrated influenza virus titers significantly less in the animals that received enflurane anesthesia when compared with the other groups. Histologic sections of lungs revealed extensive spread of the disease process into the alveoli and interstitium of the lungs of animals infected while receiving pentobarbital or diethyl ether anesthesia. Animals infected during halothane demonstrated pathologic characteristics similar to pentobarbital- and diethyl ether-treated groups; the changes were not as extensive. Mice infected during exposure to enflurane revealed only a mild bronchopneumonia.