Mice and RSV infections
Female BALB/c mice were used at 7-9 weeks of age (Animal Resource
Centre, Murdoch, Western Australia) and housed in a controlled
environment with a 12 hrs light to dark cycle with unrestricted access
to food and water. Mice were anaesthetized with 3% isoflurane and
infected intranasally with 1x105 pfu/ml live RSV in
DMEM, with the total inoculation volume being no greater than 40 μl.
Mice were euthanized with pentobarbital (250 mg/kg) following inhaled
methoxyflurane anaesthesia.
Mice were weighed daily during the acute period of infection until
sacrifice at days 0, 3, 5, 7 and 21 days post-infection. Clinical
disease scores were also assessed according to the following criteria as
described previously25. Score 0 - Normal appearance, healthy and active;
Score 1 - Barely ruffled fur, mildly/intermittent hunched appearance and
otherwise healthy; Score 2 – Moderately ruffled fur, elevated
respiratory rate, hunched appearance with a crab-like gait, intermittent
stillness and reduction of curious behaviour; Score 3 - Ruffled fur,
laboured breathing, hunched appearance with a crab-like gait and
unresponsive to stimuli.