Observations of cattle, goats and pigs after administration of synthetic interferon inducers and subsequent exposure to foot and mouth disease virus.

Polyriboinosinic-polyribocytidylic acid (poly [rI.rC]) was administered intravenously to 11 cattle and 13 goats in doses of 0.25 to 4.0, and 1.0 to 5.0 mg/kg, respectively. Subsequent exposure of these and untreated control animals to foot and mouth disease virus (FMDV) failed to demonstrate any differences in either the course or severity of the disease. Serum interferon was detected in cattle one hour after the intravenous administration of poly (rI.rC). Six pigs given 4, 20, or 100 mg/kg of itaconic-acrylic acid copolymer (IAA, HMW) intraperitoneally reacted clinically the same as six untreated control pigs after contact exposure to FMDV. Three pigs given 50, 100, or 200 mg/kg of divinyl ether-maleic anhydride copolymer (DVE/MA, pyran) intraperitoneally similarly failed to show any difference in clinical reaction from three untreated control pigs after intranasal instillation of FMDV. Three pigs given 100, 200 or 400 mg/kg of DVE/MA intraperitoneally developed rapid diffuse peritonitis causing the death of one in 48 hours.