Antiviral Effects of Double‐Stranded RNA from Rice Dwarf Virus on Infection of Mice with Western Equine Encephalitis Virus

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Abstract
A single administration (1 to 10 mg/kg) of rice dwarf virus RNA (RDV-RNA) prior to virus challenge reduced the mortality of mice infected with western equine encephalitis (WEE) virus. The protective effect of RDV-RNA was significantly higher than that of polyinosinic-polycytidylic acid. However, when these RNAs were given after virus infection, the protective effect was negligible. The titer of circulating interferon in mice reached a peak about 5 hr after injection of these RNAs and remained at this level for about 24 hr. Viremia in mice infected with a lethal dose of WEE virus was markedly suppressed by the treatment of mice with these RNAs. A pathological examination of mice treated with a lethal dose of RDV-RNA revealed marked changes including degeneration and karyorrhexis in the lymphoid tissues of the spleen.