[Dynamics of accumulation of infectious West Nile virus and viral antigens in experimental infection of mice].

The appearance of the hemagglutinating (HA), complement-fixing (CF) and soluble (S) antigens and infectious virus in the blood and brain of suckling mice inoculated with various doses of West Nile virus was studied. The infectious virus was isolated from the blood and brains of mice as early as 24 hours after inoculation. Its titres increased in parallel in the brain and blood reaching maximum levels by the end of infection. The HA antigen was detected only in the brain at 2-3 days after inoculation. The CF antigen was detected in the blood in a low titre only in the terminal stage of infection; in the brain the CF antigen was detected within 24 hours after infection with a low dose and within 48 hours with a high dose. The S antigen was isolated only from the brain tissue, and in higher titres after infection with a large dose. This may be associated with excess synthesis of the S antigen at a high multiplicity of infection.