Behavior of Respiratory Syncytial Virus in Piglet Tracheal Organ Culture

Abstract

Piglet tracheal organ cultures were infected with respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) and observed for 21 days. Light and immunofluorescence microscopy demonstrated destruction of the ciliated epithelial cells and the presence of viral antigens in the epithelium. Virus was shed in high titer for 12--19 days. Ciliostasis could be quantitated, and it was shown that several strains of RSV grew and damaged tracheal organ cultures in a similar fashion. A temperature-sensitive mutant of RSV, ts-1, was examined at permissive (33 C) and restrictive (37 C) temperatures. This mutant, although somewhat attenuated at 37 C, was still found to cause damage to the ciliated epithelium and to replicate at both temperatures. THIS BEHAVIOR IS SIMILAR TO THAT AFTER INOCULATION OF TS-1 INTO VOLUNTEERS. This in vitro model may prove useful in the study of RSV disease and in the evaluation of candidate live virus vaccines.

Effects of Paramyxoviral Infection on Airway Epithelial Cell Foxj1 Expression, Ciliogenesis, and Mucociliary Function

“…15,16,20,21,38 Ex vivo influenza A infection of isolated piglet trachea and in vitro RSV infection of primary human bronchial epithelial cell cultures have also shown marked loss of cilia and ciliated cells suggesting a direct virus effect. 39,40 Influenza A virus infection has been shown to result in loss of ciliated cells and decreased mucociliary clearance in the eustachian tube of guinea pigs, a structure that shares features with the lower airway. 41 The specific mechanisms for morphological changes affecting ciliated and nonciliated cells have not been identified, but tropism of viruses for airway epithelial cells may lead to shared responses in the targeted cells of the respiratory tract.…”

Productive infection of isolated human alveolar macrophages by respiratory syncytial virus.

“…Although tracheal epithelial cells are permissive to RSV infec- 1. Abbreviations used in this paper: F, fusion; MP, mononuclear phagocytes; pfu, plaque-forming units; RSV, respiratory syncytial virus. tion in vitro (7), little is known about the replication of RSV in other pulmonary cells, particularly those involved in lung defense.…”

Feral swine virome is dominated by single-stranded DNA viruses and contains a novel Orthopneumovirus which circulates both in feral and domestic swine

“…The finding of viruses closely related to MPV in multiple species with an etiological role in disease demonstrates the propensity of MPV-like viruses for interspecies transmission. Previous work found that another orthopneumovirus, HRSV, could infect and replicate in piglet tracheal organ cultures and caused death of ciliated epithelial cells (Fishaut et al, 1978). However, further research is needed to determine if SOV infection causes disease in swine.…”