Selective Effects of Anti-Macrophage Serum, Silica and Anti-Lymphocyte Serum on Pathogenesis of Herpes Virus Infection of Young Adult Mice

Abstract
Weanling mice were treated with relatively specific suppressants of macrophages or lymphocytes and infected intraperitoneally with herpes simplex virus. Ingestion of silica particles or anti-macrophage serum impaired macrophage function and allowed virus to spread to the liver parenchyma with resulting hepatitis and early death. Anti-lymphocytic serum allowed the development of persistent viremia with subsequent spread of virus into the brain and development of fatal meningitis and encephalitis. These results are discussed in relation to the role of macrophage-dependent and lymphocyte-dependent reactions in protection of the host against parenteral virus infections.