Death after Pichinde virus infection in large and small strain 13 guinea pigs

The lethal events of Pichinide virus infections were studied in large (> 36-week-old), small (4- to 6-week-old), and uninfected strain 13 guinea pigs. Time to death was shorter and the rate of body weight loss greater for large than for small virus-infected guinea pigs. Severely ill large guinea pigs developed a life-threatening, nonlactate metabolic acidemia with an increased anion gap, hypokalemia, and renal failure. Small infected guinea pigs near death demonstrated a modest increase in blood and plasma volume indices and in lung and heart permeability to albumin. This group showed a severe hypoxemia, elevated blood lactate, and bicarbonate ion concentrations with a doubled respiratory rate. These findings are consistent with respiratory failure due to obstruction of small airways. Although virus-infected guinea pig endothelial cells showed a decrease in DNA and protein synthesis, no change in bradykinin-induced intracellular calcium signaling was noted.