Cross-infection of a nuclear polyhedrosis virus of the almond moth to the indian meal moth

Abstract

A nuclear polyhedrosis virus isolated from the almond moth, Cadra cautella, was cross-infective to the Indian meal moth, Plodia interpunctella: Concentrations of polyhedra of 8, 16, 32, and 64 × 10 3/g of bran diet killed 12, 19, 24, and 45% of the exposed neonate P. interpunctella larvae respectively. Viral replication in P. interpunctella occurred in cell nuclei of the hypodermis, tracheal matrix, fat, Malpighian tubules, in tissue associated with muscles, and in columnar cells of the midgut. However, infection in the alternate host developed more slowly, and the tissue tropisms were less apparent. Also, polyhedra in P. interpunctella were often cuboidal, although they always developed normally in C. cautella. The average number of virions per bundle and the average size of the occluded virions were about the same in both hosts.