A-549 is a suitable cell line for primary isolation of coxsackie B viruses.
A common receptor for coxsackie B virus and adenovirus has been described recently in cells of human and murine origin. Since the established cell line A-549 is suitable for adenoviruses, the potential use of A-549 cells for the isolation of coxsackie B viruses from clinical samples was investigated. All throat swabs sent to the laboratory between April 1998 and June 1999 were inoculated onto monolayers of MRC-5 and A-549 cells in tubes, and the enterovirus isolates obtained were typed. From April to June 1999, A-549 cells were compared prospectively to Buffalo green monkey (BGM) cells, considered as the most susceptible cell line for isolating coxsackie B viruses. Fifty-six out of 171 enterovirus isolates (33%) displayed a cytopathic effect (CPE) in the A-549 monolayer only, 48 isolates (28%) in the MRC-5 monolayer only, and 67 isolates (39%) in both cell lines. Most isolates that showed CPE in A-549 cells only (48 out of 56, 86%) were coxsackie B viruses, belonging to four different serotypes (B1, B2, B4, and B6). When BGM and A-549 cells were inoculated in parallel, both recovered the same number of coxsackie B isolates (n = 20), and the CPE was noted on approximately the same day. In conclusion, growth in A-549 but not MRC-5 cells identified coxsackie B viruses in most cases. A-549 was comparable to BGM for primary isolation of coxsackie B viruses.
Otero
J R
JR
Clinical Virology Unit, Microbiology Department, Hospital 12 de Octubre, Avda. de Córdoba s/n, 28041 Madrid, Spain. jotero@arrakis.es
Folgueira
L
L
Trallero
G
G
Prieto
C
C
Maldonado
S
S
Babiano
M J
MJ
Martinez-Alonso
I
I
D002460:Cell Line; D003588:Cytopathogenic Effect, Viral; D029822:Enterovirus B, Human / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D004769:Enterovirus Infections / Q000821:virology*; D006801:Humans; D010614:Pharynx / Q000821:virology; D014407:Tumor Cells, Cultured; D014776:Virus Cultivation / Q000379:methods*