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. 2012 Sep 17:2:117.
doi: 10.3389/fcimb.2012.00117. eCollection 2012.

Inhalational monkeypox virus infection in cynomolgus macaques

Roy E Barnewall  1 , David A Fisher, Ashley B Robertson, Pauline A Vales, Katherine A Knostman, John E Bigger
Affiliations

Inhalational monkeypox virus infection in cynomolgus macaques

Roy E Barnewall et al. Front Cell Infect Microbiol. .

Abstract

An inhalation exposure system was characterized to deliver aerosolized monkeypox virus (MPXV), and a non-human primate (NHP) inhalation monkeypox model was developed in cynomolgus macaques. A head-only aerosol exposure system was characterized, and two sampling methods were evaluated: liquid impingement via an impinger and impaction via a gelatin filter. The aerosol concentrations obtained with the gelatin filter and impinger were virtually identical, indicating that either method is acceptable for sampling aerosols containing MPXV. The mass median aerodynamic diameter (MMAD) for individual aerosol tests in the aerosol system characterization and the NHP study ranged from 1.08 to 1.15 μm, indicating that the aerosol particles were of a sufficient size to reach the alveoli. Six cynomolgus macaques (four male and two female) were used on study. The animals were aerosol exposed with MPXV and received doses between 2.51 × 10(4) to 9.28 × 10(5) plaque forming units (PFUs) inhaled. Four of the six animals died or were euthanized due to their moribund conditions. Both animals that received the lowest exposure doses survived to the end of the observation period. The inhalation LD(50) was determined to be approximately 7.8 × 10(4) pfu inhaled. These data demonstrate that an inhalation MPXV infection model has been developed in the cynomolgus macaque with disease course and lethal dose similar to previously published data.

Keywords: aerosol; exposure; inhalation; monkeypox.

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Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Shows the results of the monkeypox virus aerosol concentrations (Ac) for the gelatin filter compared to the impingers. It also shows the Spray Factor (SF) results for the gelatin filter compared to the impinger. The aerosol concentrations were equivalent by impingement and gel filtration capture, they were proportional to the starting nebulizer concentration, and there was no difference in the Spray Factor Values between the gelatin filter and impinger.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Survival Data Logistic Regression Curve showing the survival data as well as the logistic regression curve fit to the data. Dashed lines represent the 95% confidence intervals.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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