Ultrastructure of Herpesvirus simiae (Herpes B virus)

Abstract

Herpesvirus simiae, isolated in BSC-1 cultures from the lung of a bonnet monkey ( Macaca radiata) which died in an outbreak of respiratory disease, was examined by electron microscopy at 24 and 48 hr after inoculation of monkey kidney cells with 100 TCID 50 of virus. Characteristic intranuclear, intracytoplasmic and extracellular virus particles were seen, as well as envelopment of the virus at the nuclear membrane, a property which has been reported for other members of the herpesvirus group. However, there were some special features, such as the development of dense material which surrounded the particles and their release from the infected cells which appeared to be effected by reverse pinocytosis.