Effect of hyperbaric oxygenation on experimental scrapie in mice

The effect of hyperbaric oxygenation upon experimental infection of BALB/c mice with the scrapie agent was investigated by virological methods, histology and electron microscopy. A multiple exposure of scrapie-infected mice to hyberbaric oxygenation during the incubational period led to a certain aggravation of infection as evidenced by a greater accumulation of the agent in the central nervous system (CNS) and spleen, as well as by more pronounced ultramicroscopic changes in CNS. A single exposure to hypoxia failed to alter any manifestations of infection.