Effects of ozone and sulfur dioxide on virus growth in mice.

Inhalation of ozone and sulfur dioxide inhibited influenza virus growth in the nose of mice. Ozone inhalation caused the more pronounced inhibition of influenza virus growth: 0.6 ppm ozone for 3 hours post-virus exposure almost completely inhibited influenza virus growth in the nose, whereas sulfur dioxide (6 ppm for 7 days) causes only partial inhibition of influenza growth in the nose. Neither gas altered the propagation of influenza virus in the lungs of mice. Vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV) growth was either unaffected by exposure to ozone (0.9 ppm for 3 hours) or, when ozone exposure preceeded VSV exposure, the virus may have grown to slightly higher titer. The inhibitory effect of ozone and sulfur dioxide on influenza virus growth in nasal epithelium suggests a competitive interaction between the chemical inhalant, the virus, and host tissues, with net consequences for the pathogenesis of this disease. If the effcts of these inhalants are to be properly interpreted, they should be determined for all major regions of virus growth and inhalant deposition.