[Virion protein synthesis in the lungs in experimental influenzal infection in animals]

Synthesis of virion proteins was found to occur in the lungs of mice 24 hours after intranasal infection of the animals with various influenza virus strains. A direct correlation between the intensity of this synthesis and the degree of virus virulence was established. It is assumed that avirulent influenza virus strains can undergo in the lungs of mice the early stages of virus reproduction including the synthesis of virion proteins whereas their capacity to form an infectious progeny and undergo several replication cycles is limited. In the lungs of rats which are not susceptible to influenza virus no synthesis of virion proteins was found which suggests that in this system the early stages of the parental virus expression is blocked. The "incomplete" virus in mouse lungs inhibited infectious virus production and decreased the intensity of virion protein synthesis.