An ultrastructural and immunofluorescent study of rabies virus in tissue culture for antiviral drug evaluation.
With the purpose of establishing a model for antiviral drug evaluation the ERA and V319 rabies fixed virus strains were studied in tissue cultures, for studies of the rabies virus cycle. Viral incubation was made using a low viral input multiplicity and allowing substances that may alter, cell or virus morphology. Immunofluorescence and electron microscopy studies were carried out for quantitative evaluation of structures involved in rabies virus replication after a 24 hours incubation period. The number of fluorescent cells decreased with the viral dilutions. ERA rabies strain had more fluorescent cells than V319 strain. Also viral structures were commonly found on different penetration steps to the cells, with the ERA strain. Interpretation of our results was made on the basis that ERA strain showed a shorter latency period than the V319 rabies strain. Differences in the replication pattern between fixed rabies strains using similar experimental conditions were found.
D000818:Animals; D002460:Cell Line; D006224:Cricetinae; D005455:Fluorescent Antibody Technique; D007668:Kidney; D008647:Mesocricetus; D008854:Microscopy, Electron; D011820:Rabies virus / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000276:immunology / Q000648:ultrastructure; D014776:Virus Cultivation; D014779:Virus Replication