[The influence of artificial infrared radiation and microwaves upon mucopolysaccharides, protamine sulphate, and mucin in virus-infected organ cultures (author's transl)].

Infrared radiation and 1-2 micron microwaves influenced the infectivity of Newcastle Disease Virus (NDV) upon chick embryo tracheal tissue in such a way that the expected destruction of ciliated epithelium turned out to be incomplete or did not take place at all, respectively. Due to the fact that direct damaging of viruses following such radiation was not shown and that it was our intention to arrange the experimental set-up as if natural rhinolaryngeal conditions had induced the infection of the mucous membrane of the respiratory tract a study was performed in order to establish the radiation influence on mediator substances involved in the virus infection of mucous membranes. The mucopolysaccharides, chondroitine sulphate and hyaluronic acid, as well as mucin served as models; in addition protamine sulphate was used for reasons of comparison. The influence of the above substances upon NDV-infection in organ cultures and the effect of electromagnetic waves upon such influence were studied. By choosing a virus concentration of 10(-8)/ml on chick embryo tracheal tissue it was established that the application of infrared radiation (Osram Siccatherm Infrared Radiator,- 1-2 micron) and cm-waves (Klystron Raytheon Comp. Mass. USA, - 1.35 cm) for a length of 10 min. inhibited Newcastle Disease Virus (NDV) infectivity. The suspension fluid was treated with infrared and the tissue with cm-waves. Previous experiments revealed that direct radiation influence upon viruses cannot be taken for granted which is why the agents, chondroitine sulphate (polyanion) 5-10 microgram/ml, and hyaluronic acid (polyanion) 10-50 microgram/ml, were used in order to study such influence upon NDV-infected tracheal mucous membrane. In addition, protamine sulphate (polycation), 5-10 microgram/ml, and mucin were used. All the above mentioned substances influenced viral infectivity in organ cultures-expressed in terms of quotients: quotient 1 means no influence on the motility of the ciliated mucous membrane cells and quotient 0.01 means the complete destruction of the cells. Chondroitine sulphate inhibited strong but promoted weak virus infectivity, hyaluronic acid inhibited strong virus infectivity, protamine sulphate inhibited strong but promoted weak virus infectivity and mucin promoted weak virus infectivity in accordance with the used virus concentrations (Table 2). Under the influence of infrared radiation the mediator substances exercised a different influence upon viral infectivity: 25 times out of 32 experiments chondroitine sulphate was inhibited and hyaluronic acid increased in 8 out of 12 experiments (Table 2). The influence of protamine sulphate on viral infectivity was found to be increased 39 times and inhibited 14 times out of 54 experiments, mucin was inhibited 6 times. Furthermore, it is to be added that additional radiation with cm-waves increased the influence of infrared radiation (Table 1)...