title: Exploration of West Nile Virus Infection in Mouse Models.
abstract: West Nile virus (WNV) causes neurological diseases by penetrating the central nervous system (CNS)-an immune-privileged system. Although the CNS residential cells can produce antiviral immune responses, the blood leukocytes are required to contain virus spread. However, infiltrating leukocytes may also contribute to immunopathology if they overreact. Thus analyses of WNV infectivity and leukocyte numbers in the CNS are critical for understanding of WNV pathogenesis in experimental mouse models. Here I describe two basic assays for quantification of viral titers and infiltrating leukocytes in the mouse brain after WNV infection.
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology & Immunology, School of Medicine, New York Medical College, Basic Sciences Building, Room 348, Valhalla, NY, 10595, USA. penghua_wang@nymc.edu.
authors.forename: Penghua
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Wang
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001921:Brain / Q000276:immunology / Q000821:virology*; D002522:Chlorocebus aethiops; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D006801:Humans; D007958:Leukocyte Count; D051379:Mice; D014709:Vero Cells; D019562:Viral Load; D010948:Viral Plaque Assay; D014901:West Nile Fever / Q000097:blood* / Q000276:immunology / Q000821:virology*; D014902:West Nile virus / Q000276:immunology / Q000502:physiology*
keywords: Central nervous system; Infiltrating leukocytes; Plaque assay; Viral titration; West Nile virus