Influenza type A virus infection of mice exposed in utero to chlordane; survival and antibody studies

Abstract

Previous studies carried out by others have shown that in utero exposure of mice to chlordane effects a significant depression of cell-mediated immunity (CMI) at 100 days of life without adversely affecting the humoral immune system. In the studies reported herein we assessed the effect of in utero exposure to various doses of chlordane on the response of 38-day-old mice to influenza type A virus infection in terms of relative levels of mortality, mean day of death, and the levels of antiviral antibody in the primary and secondary immune response to the virus. In utero exposure to chlordane effected enhanced survival to influenza type A virus infection relative to mock-treated animals. No significant differences were noted in the mean day of death of chlordane-treated and mock-treated mice. A significant enhancement in the levels of antiviral antibody was noted in the chlordane-treated female mice but not male mice in both the primary and secondary immune response to the virus.