Effects of different anesthetics in the murine model of EHV-1 infection.

EÖRY ML; ZANUZZI CN; FUENTEALBA N; SGUAZZA G; GIMENO EJ; GALOSI CM; BARBEITO CG

VETERINARY PATHOLOGY

AMER COLL VET PATHOLOGIST

Año: 2013 vol. 50 p. 849 - 856

0300-9858

Mice are commonly used as an experimental model to investigate the Equidherpesvirus-1 (EHV-1) infection. This model easily reproduces the diseaseand clinical signs are more or less similar to those observed in the horse,the natural host. During natural infection, the acute course of respiratoryinfection is mandatory for the development of adaptive immune response.Since possible interactions between EHV-1 and anesthetics may occur, weaimed to investigate whether the early events on murine pulmonaryimmune response could be affected by different anesthetics. Therefore,mice were experimentally infected with a unique EHV-1 strain under theeffects of ether, ketamine/xylazine or isoflurane. Clinical signs andhistopathological lesions in the lungs were described, and the cell deathand proliferation rates of mock-inoculated or infected animals werequantified using immunohistochemistry. Clinical signs were more severe inanimals anesthetized with ether. Qualitative differences in the recruitedinflammatory cells were observed following application of anesthesia. Thelevel of infection between the infected groups was not statisticallysignificant. However, lungs from ketamine/xylazine-anesthetized animalsshowed the highest cell death rates, whereas those from isofluraneanesthetizedanimals showed the highest proliferation rates. It has beenemphasized that anesthetics alone or their interaction with EHV-1 modifythe response against the infection. An appropriate selection of theanesthetic during experimental studies is relevant to minimize wrongconclusions.