Interaction of immunosuppressive agents and human adenovirus infection in mice.

It was examined whether sensitivity of mice to human adenovirus infections is affected by immunosuppressive agents. Mice treated with the lymphotropic cytostatic dianhydrodulcitol (DAD) or antilymphocytic serum (ALS) did not become susceptible to human adenovirus type 12 infection, as the virus did not replicate--not even in its component forms--in the animals. On the other hand, the effect of both DAD and ALS on the lymphoid organs of mice was intensified by human adenovirus infection. In tissue cultures the reproduction of adenovirus was facilitated by DAD.