Inoculation of guinea pigs with varicella-zoster virus via the respiratory route.

Guinea pigs were inoculated by the respiratory route with wild-type (Cyr) or vaccine (Oka) strain varicella zoster virus (VZV). Wild-type cell-free virus obtained by sonication produced neutralizing antibody responses in steroid-treated animals when given via the intratracheal route, and induced neutralizing antibody as well as a pneumonitis in normal animals when given via the intrabronchial (i.b.) route. A humoral response also followed i.b. instillation of cell-associated wild-type or vaccine strain VZV. Prior i.b. administration of thioglycollate or exposure to hyperoxia altered the number and function of pulmonary macrophages, respectively, but viral susceptibility of the guinea pigs was not enhanced. Both strains of VZV could be isolated from bronchial washings up to 48 hours after i.b. instillation of cell-associated virus, but neither strain was isolated thereafter from cultures of bronchial washings or explanted lung tissues.