title: Cell culture and electron microscopy for identifying viruses in diseases of unknown cause.
abstract: During outbreaks of infectious diseases or in cases of severely ill patients, it is imperative to identify the causative agent. This report describes several events in which virus isolation and identification by electron microscopy were critical to initial recognition of the etiologic agent, which was further analyzed by additional laboratory diagnostic assays. Examples include severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus, and Nipah, lymphocytic choriomeningitis, West Nile, Cache Valley, and Heartland viruses. These cases illustrate the importance of the techniques of cell culture and electron microscopy in pathogen identification and recognition of emerging diseases.
authors.affiliation: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 1600 Clifton Rd NE, Mailstop G32, Atlanta, GA 30329, USA. cgoldsmith@cdc.gov
authors.forename: Cynthia S
authors.initials: CS
authors.lastname: Goldsmith
authors.forename: Thomas G
authors.initials: TG
authors.lastname: Ksiazek
authors.forename: Pierre E
authors.initials: PE
authors.lastname: Rollin
authors.forename: James A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Comer
authors.forename: William L
authors.initials: WL
authors.lastname: Nicholson
authors.forename: Teresa C T
authors.initials: TC
authors.lastname: Peret
authors.forename: Dean D
authors.initials: DD
authors.lastname: Erdman
authors.forename: William J
authors.initials: WJ
authors.lastname: Bellini
authors.forename: Brian H
authors.initials: BH
authors.lastname: Harcourt
authors.forename: Paul A
authors.initials: PA
authors.lastname: Rota
authors.forename: Julu
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Bhatnagar
authors.forename: Michael D
authors.initials: MD
authors.lastname: Bowen
authors.forename: Bobbie R
authors.initials: BR
authors.lastname: Erickson
authors.forename: Laura K
authors.initials: LK
authors.lastname: McMullan
authors.forename: Stuart T
authors.initials: ST
authors.lastname: Nichol
authors.forename: Wun-Ju
authors.initials: WJ
authors.lastname: Shieh
authors.forename: Christopher D
authors.initials: CD
authors.lastname: Paddock
authors.forename: Sherif R
authors.initials: SR
authors.lastname: Zaki
mesh_terms: D001116:Arenaviridae / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000648:ultrastructure; D002043:Bunyaviridae / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000648:ultrastructure; D018929:Cell Culture Techniques; D003332:Coronaviridae / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000648:ultrastructure; D018067:Flaviviridae / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000648:ultrastructure; D006801:Humans; D008854:Microscopy, Electron; D010252:Paramyxoviridae / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000648:ultrastructure; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology; D014777:Virus Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000821:virology; D014780:Viruses / Q000302:isolation & purification* / Q000648:ultrastructure*
keywords: Cache Valley virus; Heartland virus; Nipah virus; SARS coronavirus; Viruses; West Nile virus; cell culture; electron microscopy; emerging diseases; lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus