Immune Protection against Virus Challenge in Aging Mice Is Not Affected by Latent Herpesviral Infections
Thomas F Marandu1, Jennifer D Oduro2, Lisa Borkner2
1Department of Vaccinology and Applied Microbiology, Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research (HZI), Braunschweig, Germany Dar es Salaam University College of Education, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.
Abstract:
Latent herpesvirus infections alter immune homeostasis. To understand if this results in aging-related loss of immune protection against emerging infections, we challenged old mice carrying latent mouse cytomegalovirus (CMV), herpes simplex virus 1 (HSV-1), and/or murine gammaherpesvirus 68 (MHV-68) with influenza virus, West Nile virus (WNV), or vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV). We observed no increase in mortality or weight loss compared to results seen with herpesvirus-negative counterparts and a relative but not absolute reduction in CD8 responses to acute infections. Therefore, the presence of herpesviruses does not appear to increase susceptibility to emerging infections in aging patients.
