EBOLA VIRUS INFECTION FOLLOWING A LARGE PARTICLE AEROSOL
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Author/Creator ORCID
Date
2020-04-20
Department
Hood College Biology
Program
Hood College Biomedical and Environmental Science
Citation of Original Publication
Rights
CC0 1.0 Universal
Abstract
Aerosol particle deposition patterns of inhaled aerosol particles are known to affect
the virulence of inhaled bioaerosol pathogens. Small particle (0.5‒3 μm) aerosols typically
deposit within the alveolar regions of the lungs, whereas large particle (≥12 μm) aerosols
tend to deposit within the nasopharyngeal and tracheobronchial regions of the upper
respiratory tract in non-human primates (NHPs). A few studies have evaluated pulmonary
disease following small particle Ebola virus (EBOV) aerosol inhalation in rhesus
macaques, but characterization of upper respiratory tract infection following large particle
EBOV inhalation has not been studied. This study determined lethality and characterization
of disease course in rhesus macaques following a large particle EBOV aerosol deposition
into the nasopharyngeal region. A secondary objective of the study is to characterize the
immune response to large particle aerosol inhalation. Each NHP was monitored for
respiratory disease by 18F-Fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography computed
tomography imaging. Serial hematology and serology assays were also performed to track
disease progression throughout the 28-day study. NHPs exposed to target aerosol doses of
1000‒10,000 plaque-forming units of EBOV had the upper respiratory tract as a major site
of virus-induced pathology. Other pathology findings were similar to an intramuscular
EBOV challenge. However, NHPs exposed to a low dose (100 plaque-forming units) of
large particle EBOV aerosol did not have any clinical signs or symptoms of EBOV disease
and survived through to the study end. These results demonstrate that particle deposition
can indeed alter disease course and can be a starting point in exploring the heterogeneity
of EBOV virulence seen in humans. These data are also useful in evaluating possible
droplet transmission of EBOV.