Interferon induced within the central nervous system during infection is inconsequential as a mechanism responsible for murine resistance to street rabies virus.

SJL/J mice are resistant, whereas A/WySnJ mice are susceptible to intraperitoneally (i.p.) inoculated street rabies virus (SRV). In this report we determine whether interferon (IFN) induced within the central nervous system (CNS) of these mice during infection is associated with resistance. We show that the high concentration of type 1 interferon (IFN-alpha/beta) within the CNS of A/WySnJ mice is ineffective in inhibiting SRV replication in these tissues, and is unimportant in ameliorating disease. More importantly, the 100% survival of SRV-infected SJL/J mice following neutralization of IFN within the CNS with anti-IFN-alpha/beta suggests that protection of target cells by this minimal amount of IFN is not the mechanism responsible for the innate resistance of SJL/J mice to i.p. inoculated SRV.