ENTRY OF CORONAVIRUS INTO PRIMATE CNS FOLLOWING PERIPHERAL INFECTION

A previous report demonstrated that intracerebrally inoculated coronav irus produced CNS disease in two species of primates (Murray RS, Cai G -Y, Heel K, et al., Virol 1992; 188: 274-84). We were therefore intere sted in testing the potential of coronaviruses to infect primate CNS t issue following peripheral inoculation. Four Owl monkeys (Aotus trivir gatus) were inoculated intranasally and ocularly and four were inocula ted intravenously with coronavirus JHM OMp1 (Murray RS, Cai G-Y, Heel K, et al., Virol 1992; 188: 274-84). Two intranasally and two intraven ously inoculated animals received a second intravenous inoculum at 153 days post-infection. The animals were sacrificed 16, 35, 194, and 215 days post-infection. Tissue sections from brain and spinal cord were screened for viral products by in situ hybridization and immunostainin g. Virus RNA and/or antigen was detected in the brains of all animals and the distribution corresponded to areas of inflammation and edema. Viral products were predominantly found in blood vessels and perivascu lar regions, suggesting hematogenous spread with entry into the centra l nervous system through endothelium.