Abstract
Susceptibility to viral infection is not only influecned by age but by sex as well. In the human, these inter-related factors are difficult to evaluate. We have developed a test system in adult mice, however, which does allow ease of observation and control over 1 or the other of these 2 variables. A significant difference in death rate has been found between mature, male and female animals infected with a virulent strain of Coxsackie B1 virus. This difference in susceptibility could be related to hormonal effects. To test this hypothesis, mice gonadectomized at birth were infected as mature animals with the test virus. Results are summarized below.Neonatal gonadectomy and the consequence hormonal changes did not exert an apparent effect on the response of the female to the infecting virus, whereas the adverse effect of maleness was negated by this procedure. The premise relating differences in susceptibility to hormone effects, therefore, is partially true. The increased susceptibility of the male is a sex-related characteristic.
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