Death after Pichinde virus infection in large and small strain 13 guinea pigs.
The lethal events of Pichinide virus infections were studied in large (> 36-week-old), small (4- to 6-week-old), and uninfected strain 13 guinea pigs. Time to death was shorter and the rate of body weight loss greater for large than for small virus-infected guinea pigs. Severely ill large guinea pigs developed a life-threatening, nonlactate metabolic acidemia with an increased anion gap, hypokalemia, and renal failure. Small infected guinea pigs near death demonstrated a modest increase in blood and plasma volume indices and in lung and heart permeability to albumin. This group showed a severe hypoxemia, elevated blood lactate, and bicarbonate ion concentrations with a doubled respiratory rate. These findings are consistent with respiratory failure due to obstruction of small airways. Although virus-infected guinea pig endothelial cells showed a decrease in DNA and protein synthesis, no change in bradykinin-induced intracellular calcium signaling was noted.
Benjamin W. Zweifach Microcirculation Laboratories, VA Medical Center, Tucson, AZ 85723.
R C
RC
Schaeffer
M S
MS
Bitrick
D000818:Animals; D001117:Arenaviridae Infections / Q000378:metabolism / Q000401:mortality* / Q000473:pathology; D001784:Blood Gas Analysis; D001810:Blood Volume; D001835:Body Weight; D002199:Capillary Permeability; D002460:Cell Line; D004573:Electrolytes / Q000097:blood; D004730:Endothelium, Vascular / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D006168:Guinea Pigs; D008168:Lung / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D009206:Myocardium / Q000378:metabolism; D015398:Signal Transduction
D004573:Electrolytes