Persistence of Diplococcus pneumoniae after influenza virus infection in Macaca mulatta

Abstract

Exposure of monkeys to aerosols of influenza virus followed later by aerosols of Diplococcus pneumoniae resulted in persistence of the bacteria in the upper respiratory tract for an average of 28 days. Examination of selected tissues for pneumococci revealed that pneumococci were widely disseminated throughout the respiratory tract at 3 and 7 days after exposure, but were cleared from lower respiratory tissues and were found mainly in tonsils, oropharynx, and posterior nasopharynx after 14 days.