DDT AND INFLAMMATORY RESPONSES .1. INFLUENZA INFECTION IN MICE FED DDT

Mice fed casein diets containing 100 and 200 ppm DDT for 20 days failed to exhibit any signs of DDT intoxication or an impairment of growth. When the mice were infected with influenza A2 virus, the resulting disease was more severe in the DDT-fed groups as evidenced by increased inflammatory lung oedema and mortality rates. While DDT failed to affect viral replication in the lungs, the increased lung inflammatory oedema was evaluated in relationship to lung histamine content. Following the infection the lung histamine levels decreased; control group 30%; 100 ppm DDT 57%; and 200 ppm DDT 69%. The results indicate that DDT increases release of histamine that accelerates the inflammatory reaction and thus contributes to the mortality caused by influenza. The results suggest that DDT residues stored in tissues can affect inflammatory responses induced by infectious agents. © 1979.