Open AccessSubclinical Brain Injury Caused by H5N1 Influenza Virus Infection
Author(s) -
Kyoko Shinya,
Akiko Makino,
Masato Hatta,
Shinji Watanabe,
Jin Hyun Kim,
Yasuko Hatta,
Peng Gao,
Makoto Ozawa,
Quynh Mai Le,
Yoshihiro Kawaoka
Publication year - 2011
Publication title -
journal of virology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.617
H-Index - 292
eISSN - 1070-6321
pISSN - 0022-538X
DOI - 10.1128/jvi.00239-11
Subject(s) - biology , subclinical infection , encephalitis , virus , influenza a virus , influenza a virus subtype h5n1 , respiratory tract , central nervous system , virology , immunology , pathology , respiratory system , medicine , neuroscience , anatomy
Although H5N1 influenza A viruses can cause systemic infection, their neurotropism and long-term effects on the central nervous system (CNS) are not fully understood. We assessed H5N1viral invasion of the CNS and its long-term effects in a ferret model. An H5N1 virus caused nonsuppurative encephalitis, which lasted for 3 months without neurologic signs. Further, another H5N1 virus caused nonsuppurative vasculitis with brain hemorrhage. Three-dimensional analysis of viral distribution in the brain identified the olfactory system as a major route for brain invasion. The efficient growth of virus in the upper respiratory tract may thus facilitate viral brain invasion.