Measurement of respiratory volume for virus retention studies in mice.

A pressure plethysmograph for measuring respiratory volume in mice during exposure to virus aerosols is described. The respiratory frequency and tidal volume were measured, and from these data the minute ventilation was calculated. The mean respiratory frequency of adult, male mice was 255 per min; the mean tidal volume of 0.18 ml was inversely related to respiratory frequency. The standardized mean minute ventilation rate was 1.46 ml per g of body weight. The respiratory frequency and tidal volume of CD-1 and HA/ICR strains of mice of the same age were similar. The respiratory retention rate for a 2.7-mum aerosol of vesicular stomatitis virus was 41%, and 58% of the virus retained was found in the trachea and lung.