ALTERED DISTRIBUTION OF HEAVY-METALS AND LIPIDS IN COXSACKIEVIRUS B3 INFECTED MICE

This report presents evidence that a micro-organism common in our envi ronment, coxsackievirus B3 (CB3) and the host responses it causes, can change the body distribution of heavy metals and lipids. The present results show that the distributions of intravenously injected Cd-109, Ni-63 and C-14-Cholesterol are changed during infection,in a way that is specific for each of the studied compounds. Increased accumulation of Cd-109 in the spleen and kidneys, Ni-63 in the pancreas and ventric ular myocardium, and C-14-Cholesterol in the heart and pancreas was ob served during CB3 infection. This may affect the development of inflam matory lesions and subsequently result in altered and/or increased tar get organ toxicity as well as lipid accumulation. Thus, risk assessmen t in exposed populations may have to be evaluated depending on individ ual nutritional and exposure status.