Viral enhancement of nasal colonization with Haemophilus influenzae type b in the infant rat.
Infant rats infected with influenza A virus, Sendai (parainfluenza 1) virus or rat coronavirus were used to determine whether viral infection increases the intensity of nasal colonization with Haemophilus influenzae type b (HIB). Intranasal inoculation of HIB in rats previously infected with each of these viruses resulted in nasal HIB titers at least 100-fold higher than those for controls during the first 2 wk after HIB inoculation, and as much as 10,000-fold higher during the first week. Children with cough, sneezing, or rhinorrhea could be effective disseminators of HIB if they were as heavily and persistently colonized as these virus-infected animals.
D000818:Animals; D006193:Haemophilus influenzae / Q000254:growth & development*; D009666:Nose / Q000382:microbiology*; D010222:Parainfluenza Virus 1, Human; D018184:Paramyxoviridae Infections / Q000382:microbiology; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains; D014777:Virus Diseases / Q000382:microbiology*