Protection by Receptor-destroying Enzyme against Infection with a Neurotropic Variant of Influenza Virus

Abstract

IN 1948, Stone reported that infection by influenza viruses of embryonated hens' eggs after allantoic inoculation¹, and of mouse lungs after intranasal instillation², could be prevented by pretreatment of the exposed cells with the receptor-destroying enzyme of Vibrio choleræ³. It seems worth adding to these observations the finding that death of mice from infection by a neurotropic variant of influenza virus, neuro-WS⁴, can be similarly prevented by pretreatment of the mice with an intracerebral injection of receptor-destroying enzyme, and that the return of susceptibility to infection, following a single inoculation of receptor-destroying enzyme, runs roughly parallel to the return of inhibitory activity of the brain⁵ to influenza virus hæmagglutination.