Protocol for influenza A virus infection of mice and viral load determination

Influenza A viruses (IAVs) are common respiratory viruses. Mouse models of IAV infection are valuable to study the mechanisms of IAV infection and pathology. Here, we present a detailed protocol for IAV infection of mice via intranasal administration. We detail the processing of mouse lung tissue and then describe the determination of viral load by several approaches including RNA, protein, or plaque-forming unit assays. This protocol may be adapted to other influenza strains or respiratory viruses. For complete details on the use and execution of this protocol, please refer to Galani et al. (2017).