Development of a cell culture system susceptible to measle, canine distemper, and rinderpest viruses.

Abstract

Three strains of chick embryo adapted canine distemper virus (Lederle, Wisconsin, and Onderstepoort strains) and chick embryo adapted LA strain of rinderpest virus were easily adapted to an established line of African green monkey kidney cells (Vero cells), which has been routinely employed for the titration of measles virus. By using these Vero cell adapted strains of canine distemper and rinderpest viruses, techniques of infectivity titration and virus neutralization in Vero cells were established. Comparative studies of cytopathology and growth characteristics of canine distemper, rinderpest, and measles viruses indicated that the behavior of the three viruses in Vero cells is almost the same. The Vero cell system was suggested as a suitable host for the comparative study of the serologic and biologic relationships among measles, canine distemper, and rinderpest viruses.