Table 1. Hematological alterations detected in mice infected with the JHA1 straina.
| Hematological | Day 4 p.i. | Day 7 p.i. | Day 8 p.i.c | |||
| Parametersb | Mock-infected | Infected | Mock-infected | Infected | Mock-infected | Infected |
| HCT d | 40.3±1.6 | 39.3±1.2 | 40.8±1.9 | 44.5* ±2.0 | 40.6±1.7 | 30.0*** ±2.0 |
| RBC | 7.6±3.0 | 7.9±1.2 | 8.7±0.7 | 11.1±3.3 | 8.0±0.6 | 5.8*** ±1 |
| WBC | 9.0±1.9 | 5.8±3.2 | 11.0±0.5 | 2.4*** ±0.6 | 8.4±1.1 | 2.5*** ±0.6 |
| LYM | 5.8±2.4 | 4.6±2.9 | 8.3±0.8 | 1.7*** ±0.4 | 7.9±0.8 | 1.5*** ±0.5 |
| NEU | 2.0±0.5 | 1.0±0.8 | 1.7±0.2 | 0.6*** ±0.2 | 1.2±0.1 | 0.5*** ±0.2 |
| PLT | 1.2±0.1 | 1.2±0.1 | 1.3±0.2 | 1.3±0.2 | 1.2±0.1 | 1.2±0.2 |
| PT e | 19.5±5.4 | 217.2±115** | ||||
Male Balb/c mice (n = 12) were inoculated i.c. with 300 PFU of the JHA1 strain or mock-treated. Mice were bled via the retro-orbital plexus on days 4, 7 and 8 p.i. for hematological analyses.
Blood samples were processed to determine the concentration of red blood cells (RBCs), white blood cells (WBCs), lymphocytes (LYMs), neutrophils (NEUs), and platelets (PLTs). WBC, NEU, LYM and PLT counts are expressed as 103 cells/µL. RBC counts are expressed as 106 cells/µl.
On day 8 p.i., the animals had morbidity signals, such as hind limb paralysis and spine cord curvature, which was indicative of a moribund state.
Hematocrit (HCT) values are given as percentages (%) of packed cell volume. Data are expressed as the mean ± SD of individual measurements. Comparisons between mock-treated and virus-infected mice were performed by t-paired tests on days 4, 7 and 8 p.i., with statistical significance set as p<0.05. (*) p<0.05; (**) p<0.01; (***) p<0.001. The results are based on one representative experiment of three independently performed experiments yielding similar results.
The prothrombin times (PT) were individually measured on day 7 p.i. both in mock-treated and virus infected mice, in order to access coagulation mechanism integrity. Values are given in seconds. A t-paired test was performed, with statistical significance set as p<0.05. (*) p<0.05; (**) p<0.01; (***) p<0.001 regarding mock-treated and infected groups.