Course of lymphocytic choriomeningitis (LCM) virus infection in suckling mice treated with Bordetella pertussis vaccine.

Death occurred earlier and the mortality rate was higher in one and two-week-old mice pretreated with Bordetella pertussis vaccine and infected intracerebrally with LCM virus, than in not pretreated animals of the same litter. Pertussis vaccine treatment contributed to the course of LCM virus infection ending in lethal meningitis in suckling mice, by accelerating the development of their cellular immune response.