Herpesvirus saimiri antigens and virus recovery from cultured cells and antibody levels and virus isolations from squirrel monkeys

In cultures of vero cells infected with a low multiplicity of Herpesvirus saimiri (HVS), the development of internal antigen, as demonstrated by indirect immunofluorescence, was detected early and preceded the release of infectious virus. Membrane antigen, determined on unfixed cells, developed shortly thereafter. A positive correlation was found between the percentage of antigen‐positive cells and the amount of recoverable infectious virus in cocultivation cultures of cells of a low virus‐producing line of HVS‐induced tumor and vero cells. Cytosine arabinoside (araC) prevented the development of infectious HVS, typical internal antigen, and membrane antigen when vero cells were treated with the drug two hours after virus inoculation. Another type of internal antigen appearing predominantly in the nucleus was demonstrable in infected but araC‐treated vero cells. The presence of antibody to this antigen was rare in naturally‐infected squirrel monkeys. Colony‐housed squirrel monkeys showed a high frequency of antibody to HVS internal antigen produced in infected vero cells in the absence of araC, and evidence for seroconversion in some of these monkeys was obtained. Virus was isolated from lymphocytes of six of seven squirrel monkeys tested

African Green Monkey · Antibody · Antigen · Biology · Immunofluorescence · Seroconversion · Squirrel monkey · Vero cell · Virus · Cytomegalovirus and herpesvirus research · Herpesvirus Infections and Treatments · Immunology · Microbiology · Viral-associated cancers and disorders · Virology