cadmium-oxide and Disease-Susceptibility

An experimental study on 489 mice is reported. The test animals were submitted to a single 15-mn exposure to atmosphere containing about 10 mg of cadmium microparticles (CdO) per m3 of air and the controls to an equivalent amount of aluminium microparticles (Al2o3). At the 48th hour after exposures, the test and control mice were submitted to a bacterial (Pasteurella multocida) or to a viral (Orthomyxovirus influenzae A) challenge, via the respiratory route. The exposure to cadmium significantly increased the death-rate of mice submitted to the bacterial challenge, but it significantly decreased the death-rate following the viral challenge.

Topics: Air Pollutants; Aluminum Oxide; Animals; Cadmium; Cadmium Compounds; Disease Susceptibility; Mice; Mortality; Orthomyxoviridae Infections; Oxides; Particle Size; Pasteurella Infections; Respiration; Specific Pathogen-Free Organisms