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PATHOGENESIS OF WEST NILE VIRUS INFECTION IN DOGS TREATED WITH GLUCOCORTICOIDS

Control and glucocorticoid-treated dogs were infected with West Nile virus (WNV) through the bites of infected mosquitoes to study the effect of a commonly used immunomodulator on the magnitude and duration of viremia and on development of clinical disease. All dogs became viremic after challenge. The peak viremia and integrated magnitude of viremia were approximately 40 and 50 times higher, respectively, in the five dogs treated with methyl-prednisolone for 1 month compared with untreated dogs. None of the five control or treated dogs developed signs of clinical disease, nor was histopathologic evidence of neuroinvasion observed in any case. Neutralizing antibodies to WNV were produced in all dogs, with no apparent effect of glucocorticoid treatment. Considering the dramatic effect of glucocorticoid treatment on magnitude of viremia, it is likely that this therapy had suppressive effects on some aspect of innate immunity or T cell function.

Received August 23, 2005. Accepted for publication November 28, 2005.

Acknowledgments: We thank Paul Gordy and Joan Bowen for assistance in animal handling and Cindy Meredith for providing mosquitoes. This work was supported by Merial, Limited.

^* Address correspondence to R. A. Bowen, Department of Biomedical Sciences, ARBL, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO 80523. E-mail: rbowen{at}colostate.edu

Authors’ addresses: Richard Bowen, Department of Biomedical Sciences, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, Email: rbowen{at}colostate.edu. Melissa Rouge, Department of Biomedical Sciences, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, E-mail: melissarouge{at}yahoo.com. Leonardo Siger, Merial Limited, Athens, GA, E-mail: Leonardo.Siger{at}Merial.com. Jules Minke, Merial SAS, Lyon, France, E-mail: Julius.Minke{at}Merial.com. Robert Nordgren, Merial Limited, Athens GA, E-mail: Bob.Nordgren{at}Merial.com. Kemal Karaca, Merial Limited, Athens, GA, E-mail: Kemal.Karaca{at}Merial.com. Jeremy Johnson, Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Pathology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins CO, E-mail: jsjohnson9{at}yahoo.com.

Reprint requests: Richard Bowen, Department of Biomedical Sciences, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO 80523. E-mail: rbowen{at}colostate.edu.

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