MUCOSAL EXUDATION OF FIBRINOGEN IN CORONAVIRUS-INDUCED COMMON COLDS

We studied the mucosal exudation of plasma in relation to pathophysiol ogical events during an induced common cold. Coronavirus 229E was inoc ulated nasally in 20 healthy volunteers under controlled conditions. T en volunteers developed the common cold, determined by symptom scores and serology. The bulk plasma exudate was monitored, using fibrinogen (MW 340 kD) in nasal lavage fluids as an endogenous marker. Following inoculation, anterior rhinoscopy and objective registrations of nasal mucosal temperature, nasal discharge weight, and nasal blockage index by peak expiratory air flow, were followed twice daily for 6 days. Muc osal plasma exudation, as assessed by fibrinogen in lavage fluids, inc reased hundredfold after virus inoculation, concomitantly with the sub jective symptoms and objective physiological changes. We propose that this exudation reflects the degree of subepithelial inflammation, and suggests that plasma bulk exudate, including all potent plasma protein systems may be involved in the resolution of acute viral rhinitis-com mon cold.