The effect of alcohol ingestion on the susceptibility of mice to viral infections.

The influence of acute alcoholization on the evolution of different viral diseases was studied in orally alcoholized mice. Ethanol increased mice susceptibility to encephalomyocarditis and influenza only when it was administered after virus infection. There was no dose-effect correlation. Vaccinia and Herpes virus infections were not modified by alcoholization. Hypotheses concerning the mechanisms of alcohol action were put forward.