Table 1.
Axonal spread of WNV in vivo induces acute flaccid paralysis
| Viral challenge | Sciatic transection | Antibody administration | Ipsilateral limb paralysis, % | Contralateral limb paralysis, % | Mean time to death, days | Percent death |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| WNV | None | None | (21 (4/19)* | 0 (0/19) | 13 ± 2.4 | 85 (11/13) |
| WNV | Below infection | None | 40 (4/10)** | 10 (1/10) | 14.3 ± 3.2 | 86 (6/7) |
| WNV | Above infection | None | 0 (0/15) | 6.6 (1/15) | 14.5 ± 2.1 | 67 (6/9) |
| None | Transect | None | 0 (0/4) | 0 (0/4) | None | None |
| WNV | None | 0.1 mg/kg | 0 (0/6) | 0 (0/6) | None | None |
| WNV | Below infection | 0.1 mg/kg | 0 (0/6) | 0 (0/6) | None | None |
| WNV | Above infection | 0.1 mg/kg | 0 (0/6) | 0 (0/6) | None | None |
| None | Transect | 0.1 mg/kg | 0 (0/3) | 0 (0/3) | None | None |
Hamsters were injected in the sciatic nerve with 101.8 pfu of WNV and monitored for paralysis and lethality. In some groups, sciatic nerve transection was performed by cutting the sciatic nerve above or below the site of WNV infection, and a humanized, neutralizing WNV antibody Hu-E16 was administered i.p. in a single dose (0.1 mg/kg) 20 h after infection. *, P < 0.05; **, P < 0.01 compared with nerve transection above WNV infection. Numbers in parentheses indicate numbers of hamsters.