Summary
The growth characteristics of a series of influenza A viruses in the turbinates and lungs of hamsters was measured: in addition, the susceptibility of hamsters to infection by these viruses was also determined. These two criteria were used to give estimates of the growth potential of influenza viruses in hamsters, and the results were related to the incidence of transmission of virus from inoculated hamsters to cage-contacts. The results showed that strains of influenza virus reported as virulent for man tended to grow to higher titres in hamster nasal washings and lungs; were more infective for hamsters when inoculated by the intranasal route; and showed a high incidence of spread to cage-contacts. The methods could provide valuable measurements of virus attenuation and transmissibility for man, and the further exploitation of these techniques could facilitate the production and licencing of live, attenuated influenza virus vaccines.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Abou-Donia, H., Jennings, R., Potter, C. W.: Growth of influenza A virus in hamsters. Arch. Virol.65, 99 (1980).
Beare, A. S., Hobson, D., Reed, S. E., Tyrrell, D. A. J.: A comparison of live and killed influenza virus vaccine. Lancet2, 418 (1968).
Campbell, D., Sweet, C., Smith, H.: Comparison of virulence of influenza virus recombinants in ferrets to their behaviour in man and their genetic constitution. J. Gen. Virol.44, 37 (1979).
Fazekas, de St. Groth, S., Witchell, J., Lafferty, K. J.: An improved assay for neutralization of antibodies against influenza virus. J. Hyg. (Camb.)56, 415 (1958).
Freestone, D. S., Hamilton-Smith, S., Schild, G. C., Buckland, R., Chinn, D., Tyrrell, D. A. J.: Antibody responses and resistance to challenge in volunteers vaccinated with live-attenuated detergent-split and oil-adjuvant A 2/Hong Kong/68 (H3N2) influenza vaccines. J. Hyg. (Camb.)70, 531 (1972).
Huygelen, C.: Laboratory and clinical evaluation of new, live influenza virus vaccines. Need for minimal requirements. Develop. Biol. Stand.39, 155 (1977).
Jennings, R., Clark, A., Oxford, J. S., Hoclkey, D. J., Potter, C. W.: Reactogenicity and immunogenicity of whole and ether-tween split influenza A vaccines in volunteers. J. Infect. Dis.138, 577 (1978).
Jennings, R., Potter, C. W., Teh, C. Z., Mahmud, M. I. A.: The replication of type A influenza viruses in the infant rat: a marker for virus attenuation. J. Gen. Virol.49, 343 (1980).
Lobmann, M., Delem, A., Peetermans, J., Huygelen, C.: Laboratory characteristics of an attenuated influenza type A (H3N2) virus (‘Alice’ strain). J. Hyg. (Camb.)77, 181 (1976).
Michaels, R. H., Mahmud, M. I. A., Coup, A. J., Jennings, R., Potter, C. W.: Influenza virus infection in newborns rat: A possible marker of attenuation for man. J. Med. Virol.2, 253 (1978).
Mills, J., Chanock, R. M.: Temperature-sensitive mutants of influenza virus. 1. Behaviour in tissue culture and in experimental animals. J. Inf. Dis.123, 145 (1971).
Morris, C. A., Freestone, D. S., Stealey, V. M., Oliver, P. R.: Recombinant WRL105 strain live attenuated influenza vaccine. Immunogenicity, reactivity and transmissibility. Lancet2, 196 (1975).
Nicholson, K. G., Tyrell, D. A. J., Harrison, P., Potter, C. W., Jennings, R., Clark, A., Schild, G. C., Wood, J. M., Yetts, R., Seagrott, V., Higgins, A., Anderson, S. G.: Clinical studies of monovalent inactivated whole virus and subunit A/U.S.S.R./77 (HINI) vaccine: serological responses and clinical reactions. J. Biol. Stand.7, 123 (1979).
Potter, C. W., Clark, A., Jennings, R., Schild, G. C., Wood, J. M., McWilliam, P. K. A.: Reactogenicity and immunogenicity of inactivated influenza A (HINI) virus vaccine in unprimed children. J. Biol. Stand.8, 35 (1980).
Potter, C. W., Jennings, R., Clark, A.: The antibody responses and immunity to challenge infection induced by whole, inactivated and tween-ether split influenza vaccines. Develp. Bio. Stand.39, 323 (1977).
Potter, C. W., Jennings, R., McLaren, C., Edey, C., Stuart-Harris, C. H.: A new surface-antigen-absorbed influenza virus vaccine. II. Studies in a volunteer group. J. Hyg. (Camb.)75, 353 (1975).
Reed, L. J., Muench, H.: A new simple method of estimating fifty per cent endpoints. Amer. J. Hyg.27, 493 (1938).
Riemer, C. B., Baker, R. S., Newlin, F. E., Havens, M. L.: Influenza virus purification with the zonal ultracentrifuge. Science152, 1379 (1966).
Schild, G. C., Oxford, J. S., Dowdle, W. S., Coleman, M. T., Pereira, M. S., Chakraverty, P.: Antigenic variation in current influenza A viruses: evidence of a high frequency of antigenic drift for the Hong Kong virus. Bull. Wld. Hlth. Org.51, 1 (1974).
Schulman, J. L.: Effect of amantadine HC1 and rimantadine HC1 on transmission of influenza virus infection in mice. Proc. Soc. Exp. Bio. Med.128, 1173 (1968).
Sever, J. L.: Application of a microtechnique to viral serological investigations. J. Immunol.88, 320 (1962).
Squires, S. L., Belyavin, G.: Free contact infection in ferrets. J. Antimicrob. Chemotherap. (Suppl.)1, 35 (1975).
Stuart-Harris, C. H.,et al.: A study of live influenza virus vaccine in patients with chronic bronchitis. Report to Medical Research Councils Committee on Influenza and Other Respiratory Virus Vaccines. Brit. J. Dis. Chest74, 121 (1980).
Toms, G. L., Bird, R. A., Kingsman, S. M., Sweet, C., Smith, H.: Behaviour in ferrets of two closely related clones of influenza virus of differing virulence for man. Brit. J. Exp. Path.57, 37 (1976).
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Additional information
With 2 Figures
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Ali, M.J., Teh, C.Z., Jennings, R. et al. Transmissibility of influenza viruses in hamsters. Archives of Virology 72, 187–197 (1982). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01348964
Received:
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01348964