*** Selenium and mercury are redistributed to the brain during viral infection

[Guest guest]

This important peer reviewed article may help to illuminate why we are seeing

higher

levels of metals excretion in the urine during antiviral therapy, and why we

sometimes

observe the mobile rashes that change color and intensity (possibly metals

rashes).

- Stan

-------------

<Article forwarded by Binstock>

Biol Trace Elem Res. 2005 Winter;108(1-3):215-24. Related Articles, Links

Selenium and mercury are redistributed to the brain during viral infection in

mice.

Ilback NG, Lindh U, Minqin R, Friman G, Watt F.

Section of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medical Sciences, Uppsala

University

Hospital, Uppsala, Sweden.

As part of the general host response to coxsackievirus B3 (CB3) infection, the

concentration of essential and nonessential trace elements changes in different

target

organs of the infection. Essential (e.g., Se) and nonessential (e.g., Hg) trace

elements are

known to interact and affect inflammatory tissue lesions induced by CB3

infection.

However, it is unknown whether these changes involve the brain. In the present

study, the

brain Hg and Se contents were measured through inductively coupled plasma-mass

spectrometry and their distribution investigated by means of nuclear microscopy

in the

early phase (d 3) of CB3 infection in normally fed female Balb/c mice. Because

of the

infection, the concentration of Hg (4.07 +/- 0.46 ng/g wet wt) and Se (340 +/-

16 ng/g

wet wt) in the brain increased twofold for Hg (8.77 +/- 1.65 ng/g wet wt, p <

0.05) and

by 36% for Se (461 +/- 150 ng/g wet wt, ns). Nuclear microscopy of brain

sections from

mice having elevated Se and Hg concentrations failed to find localized levels of

the

elements high enough to make detection possible, indicating approximately

homogeneous

tissue distribution. Although the pathophysiological interpretation of these

findings

requires further research, the increase of Hg in the brain during infection

might have an

influence on the pathogenesis of the disease.

PMID: 16327074