title: Varicella-zoster virus infection of diploid and chemically transformed guinea-pig embryo cells: factors influencing virus replication.
abstract: Factors influencing the replication of varicella-zoster virus (VZV) in guinea-pig embryo cells were evaluated using both diploid cells (GPEC) and a chemically transformed cell line (GPT). Wild-type and vaccine strains of VZV were successfully isolated and serially propagated in GPEC prepared from early gestation whole embryos (less than 2 cm in length). Low passage GPEC (less than or equal to 5 subcultivations) were more susceptible to VZV infection than high passage GPEC (greater than 5 subcultivations), and guinea-pig cells were consistently less permissive than human diploid cells. Cell-free virus was produced from VZV-infected GPEC cultures by sonication and peak yields of 10(3) p.f.u./ml were obtained. In addition, we report the isolation and propagation of VZV, as well as production of cell-free virus, in GPT. Both GPEC and GPT cells were less susceptible to VZV infection than human cells. However, viral replication was enhanced by incubation of VZV-infected GPT cultures at 32 degree C rather than 36 degree C.
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002460:Cell Line; D004171:Diploidy; D004622:Embryo, Mammalian; D006168:Guinea Pigs; D014645:Herpesvirus 3, Human / Q000254:growth & development / Q000472:pathogenicity*; D013696:Temperature; D014779:Virus Replication