Female CD1 mice were exposed from the thirty-fifth day of age for the remainder of their lives to 2.45 GHz, CW-microwave radiation at a power density of 3 or 10 mW/cm2 (SAR = 2.0 or 6.8 W/kg). Exposures took place 1 h/day, 5 day/week in an anechoic chamber at an ambient temperature of 22 degrees C and a relative humidity of 50%. There were 25 animals in each exposure group, and an equal number of controls were concurrently sham exposed. The average life span of animals exposed at 10 mW/cm2 was significantly shorter than that of sham-exposed controls (572 days vs. 706 days; P = .049; truncation > 20%). In contrast, the average lifespan of the animals exposed at 3 mW/cm2 was slightly, but not significantly, longer (738 days) than that of controls (706 days).
Female CD-1 mice were injected with an LD50 dose of Streptococcus pneumoniae and then exposed to 2.45 GHz (CW) microwave radiation at an incident power density of 10 mW/cm2 (SAR = 6.8 W/kg), 4 h/d for 5 d at ambient temperatures of 19 degrees C, 22 degrees C, 25 degrees C, 28 degrees C, 31 degrees C, 34 degrees C, 37 degrees C and 40 degrees C. Four groups of 25 animals were exposed at each temperature with an equal number of animals concurrently sham-exposed. Survival was observed for a 10-d period after infection. Survival of the sham-exposed animals increased as ambient temperature increased from 19 degrees C-34 degrees C. At ambient temperatures at or above 37 degrees C the heat induced in the body exceeded the thermoregulatory capacity of the animals and deaths from hyperthermia occurred. Survival of the microwave-exposed animals was significantly greater than the shams (approximately 20%) at each ambient temperature below 34 degrees C. Based on an analysis of the data it appears that the hyperthermia induced by microwave exposure may be more effective in increasing survival in infected mice than hyperthermia produced by conventional methods (ie, high ambient temperature). Microwave radiation may be beneficial to infected animals at low and moderate ambient temperatures, but it is detrimental when combined with high ambient temperatures.
A significant increase was observed in the circulating antibody titers of mice exposed to 9-GHz pulsed microwaves at an average power density of 10 mW/cm2, two hours per day for five days compared with sham-irradiated animals. The mice were previously immunized with type III pneumococcal polysaccharide. Following irradiation, a portion of the immunized animals were challenged with virulent Streptococcus pneumoniae, type III. Ten days after challenge, mortality was essentially the same in the two groups, but during the ten day period, there was a noticeable increase in the survival time of the irradiated animals compared with the sham-irradiated animals, suggesting that the increased circulating antibody response afforded some degree of temporary protection to the animals.
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