OBJECTIVETo establish two strains of mouse developing dampness-heat syndrome models infected by Dengue virus and to compare the difference in infection, so as to choose a suitable mouse strain for modeling.

METHODSAccording to the modeling methods of the seasonal febrile disease of the dampness-heat syndrome in Chinese medicine, BALB/C and C57BL/6 mice were respectively treated with complex factors as the high glucose and high fat forage + high-temperature chamber + Dengue virus. At the same time a normal control group, the virus infection group (modeled by Dengue virus infection), and the dampness-heat group (modeling by pure dampness heat circumstance) were set up. Changes of the body temperature, platelet counts, virus in the separate serum, pathological changes of the liver, and serological indicators were observed to compare the modeling difference.

RESULTSAfter modeling low-grade fever appeared in mice in the high-temperature chamber. Compared with the normal control group, the platelet count decreased in mice of the BALB/C model group. AST increased in both BALB/C and C57BL/6 mice and the virus infection group. TC and TG increased in BALB/C model group and the dampness-heat group, with statistical significance (P<0.05). Various degrees of pathological changes were shown in the liver tissue of each group, with the most severe one in the BALB/C model group. The serum virus titers were detected with Real-time PCR after modeling. The virus load was 2.9 x 10(4) - 5.5 x 10(4) copies/mL. No significant difference was found among these groups.

CONCLUSIONSThe mouse model of dampness-heat syndrome infected by Dengue virus was primarily established. When compared the infection between BALB/C mice and C57BL/6 mice, BALB/C mice were more suitable for modeling.