Increased susceptibility of diabetic mice to influenza virus infection: Compromise of collectin-mediated host defense of the lung by glucose?

Abstract

The influence of diabetes on susceptibility to influenza virus infection was examined in a mouse model in which RIP-Kb transgenic mice and their nontransgenic littermates were used as the diabetic and nondiabetic hosts, respectively. Influenza virus A/Phil/82 (H3N2) grew to significantly higher titers in the lungs of diabetic than nondiabetic mice. The extent of viral replication in the lungs was proportional to blood glucose levels in the mice at the time of infection, and the enhanced susceptibility of diabetic mice was reversed with insulin. Growth of A/HKx31 (H3N2) virus was also enhanced in diabetic mice, whereas the highly virulent strain A/PR/8/34 (H1N1) showed no difference in virus ..