ADAPTATION OF CAPRINISED RINDERPEST VIRUS TO GROW IN VERO CELLS IN-VITRO

Caprinised rinderpest virus GTV strain (GTV) was adapted to grow in Ve ro cells (vGTV) by polyethylene glycol-mediated fusion of infected goa t spleenocytes with non-infected Vero cells. The usual methods of infe ction of cell culture, i.e. virus adsorption or co-cultivation, were n ot successful. vGTV-induced cytopathic changes in Vero cells were simi lar to those reported for rinderpest virus. Virus titers increased wit h the passage number but the virulence for goats decreased. Immunoblot analysis did not reveal any difference between vGTV and vRBOK, the ti ssue culture rinderpest virus RBOK strain adapted to Vero cells.