Isolation of Virus from Feces of Mice Receiving Intranasal Inoculations of Epidemic Influenza Virus

Abstract

Summary and Comment

1. The human influenza virus, PR8 strain, is resistant to treatment with 10% ether for at least 90 hours. 2. Influenza virus was present in the feces of mice 3 days after the intranasal inoculation of the virus. This was identified by neutralization tests. 3. In reporting these studies the source of the virus found in the feces has not been considered. There are several possibilities, the most important of which are: (a) The swallowing and survival of part of the material introduced into the nose at the time of the original inoculation, (b) Following multiplication of the virus in the lungs of the animals infected sputa was swallowed. In addition the multiplication of the virus in the digestive tract has been postulated and is being investigated. 4. No attempts have been made to isolate the virus from the feces of human patients with typical epidemic influenza.