Isolation and characterization of paramyxoviruses from snakes and their relationship to avian paramyxoviruses.
Several viruses were isolated from snakes which died during an outbreak of disease in a zoo. The viruses could be cultivated at 28 degrees C on a snake cell line (VH2, ATCC CCL 140). In cell culture they formed syncytia, leading to destruction of the monolayer. The isolates were sensitive to treatment with chloroform but not to growth in the presence of IUDR and revealed haemagglutinating activity with chicken erythrocytes. These results, combined with electron microscopic examination of the infectious supernatant, confirmed the diagnosis of paramyxoviruses (PMV). Haemagglutination inhibition tests with antisera against avian PMV revealed a serological relationship between the snake viruses and the avian PMV serotypes 1 and 7. Tests for thermostability at 56 degrees C showed a marked decrease of the haemagglutination and infectivity titres in contrast to the avian PMV serotype 7. The multiplication of the snake viruses seemed to be restricted to incubation temperatures below 37 degrees C. At 28 degrees C the snake viruses could be cultivated in several cell cultures. Separation of virus proteins using polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis showed differences between the snake isolates and avian PMVs of serotypes 1 and 7.
Institut für Geflügelkrankheiten, Justus-Liebig-Universität, Giessen, Germany.
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D000818:Animals; D018109:Avulavirus; D004196:Disease Outbreaks / Q000662:veterinary*; D010802:Phylogeny; D018108:Respirovirus / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D010253:Respirovirus Infections / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000662:veterinary* / Q000821:virology; D012911:Snakes / Q000821:virology*; D014773:Virology / Q000379:methods