The influence of high temperature on human cells in culture, their sensitivity to viruses and their interferon-producing capacity.

The influence of extremely high temperatures on the course of virus infection in vitro was studied. It has been shown that exposure of human cells (continuous cell line of embryonal skin-muscle tissue, donor blood leukocytes) to 43 degrees C leads to a significant increase in their sensitivity to cytopathic action of the viruses tested. Noteworthy, the reproduction of these viruses under tested conditions did not differ from their reproduction in control cells. A dramatic inhibitory effect of high temperatures on the interferon-producing capacity of cells was observed.