Immune and pathophysiological processes in baboons experimentally infected with Ebola virus adapted to guinea pigs

Immunol Lett. 2000 Feb 1;71(2):131-40. doi: 10.1016/s0165-2478(99)00169-8.

Abstract

The dynamics of pathophysiological and immunological parameters monitored in monkeys Papio hamadryas infected with the guinea pig-adapted Ebola virus strain demonstrated that this viral strain preserved its virulence for monkeys and caused the disease with characteristic features similar to those caused by non-adapted Ebola virus. However, certain previously unknown patterns have been observed: (1) prolongation of the febrile period by two days; (2) extended period was characterized by stability of serum biochemical parameters; (3) marked vacuolization of the neutrophil cytoplasm; (4) appearance of juvenile lymphocytes on day 3 and by the end of the disease; and (5) a considerable increase in the spontaneous mononuclear proliferation (along with a decrease in the mitogen-induced proliferation) during the terminal stage of infection. The severity of pathological coagulation was found to correlate with the activity of serum cytokines IFN-alpha and TNF-alpha: their activities increased about 250- and 100-fold, respectively. There was significant alteration in the activity of natural killer cells, that dropped by the time of animal death.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adaptation, Physiological
  • Animals
  • Blood Cell Count
  • Disease Models, Animal
  • Ebolavirus / immunology*
  • Ebolavirus / pathogenicity*
  • Female
  • Guinea Pigs
  • Hemorrhagic Fever, Ebola / blood
  • Hemorrhagic Fever, Ebola / immunology*
  • Hemorrhagic Fever, Ebola / physiopathology*
  • In Vitro Techniques
  • Interferon-alpha / blood
  • Killer Cells, Natural / immunology
  • Lymphocyte Activation
  • Male
  • Neutrophils / pathology
  • Papio
  • Time Factors
  • Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / metabolism
  • Vacuoles / pathology
  • Virulence

Substances

  • Interferon-alpha
  • Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha