Coxsackievirus B3-Positive Mononuclear Leukocytes in Peripheral Blood of Swiss and Athymic Mice during Infection

Abstract

Coxsackievirus B3 viremia in infected 14-day-old Swiss and young adult Nude mice is predominantly a plasma viremia. Despite high titers of virus in plasma, separated suspensions of red blood cells and polymorphonuclear leukocytes contain no virus. Virus-positive mononuclear leukocytes in blood, on the other hand, may be present from the second to the fourth days of infection. Virus-positive mononuclear leukocytes may persist after virus is no longer in the plasma. Our studies do not definitively identify the mononuclear population in blood which is virus-positive.