Objective To establish a tree shrew model infected with H1N1 influenza virus, and to investigate the dynamics of influenza virus and its distribution in respiratory tissues.
Methods 24 adult tree shrews aged from 3 to 3.5 years old, half male and half female, were randomly divided into blank group (group B) and model group (group M) with 12 in each group μ L(1 × 106. 8 TCID50/0.1 mL). The neutralizing antibodies against influenza in blood were determined at 2,4 and 7 days. 2. Three tree shrews were killed at random on the 3rd, 5th and 10th day. Nasal turbinate, trachea, pharynx and lung tissues were collected for virus load detection. The tissues were taken on the 3rd, 5th and 10th day for pathological detection.
Results The tree shrews in group M showed the clinical symptoms of pellagra disorder, anorexia, movement retardation, elevated body temperature and increased nasopharyngeal secretion; The viral load can be detected in the respiratory tract 1 day after infection, and the viral load appears in the blood 3 days after infection; The pathological results showed that there were some pathological changes in the turbinate, pharynx, trachea and lung tissues.
Conclusion The clinical symptoms of tree shrews infected with influenza virus are very similar to those of human beings. The established influenza tree shrews model provides an important tool for studying the pathogenesis of influenza and evaluating anti influenza drugs.