The use of ferret trachea organ cultures for therapeutic studies of anti-influenzal drugs

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Abstract
Ferret trachea organ cultures have been used to measure the therapeutic effect of spiroamantadine against influenza virus A/England/42/72. In untreated cultures virus titres reached their maximum about 5 days after infection, and immunofluorescence studies showed that by the seventh day about 50% of the epithelial cells were infected. Treatment with spiroamantadine (8 μg/ml) starting at times up to 72 h after infection reduced the yield of virus from the cultures. The effect of treatment starting 48 h after infection was compared with that of similar treatment previously reported in infected volunteers. In the latter, virus titres declined more quickly than in the cultures, so that the effects of treatment seemed smaller.