Detection and possible source of contaminating pleuropneumonialike organisms (PPLO) in cultures of tissue cells.

Abstract

Summary1) A total of 37 tissue cell lines growing in the presence of horse, calf, human, rabbit or dog serum have been tested for contamination by PPLO. Of these, 22 or 59% contained PPLO. Human, monkey, and mouse cell lines were contaminated. All first and second passages of cell lines were negative. PPLO were isolated from tissue cells growing in human, horse or calf serum. Nineteen positive cell lines were, at some time, grown in presence of human serum. Three positive lines growing in horse serum had never been in contact with human serum. 2) All 25 samples of sera, including pooled lots of human, calf, and horse sera, were negative for PPLO. 3) Possible sources of PPLO contamination of tissue cell cultures are discussed.