Growth characteristics of alkhumra hemorrhagic fever virus in mammalian cell lines

Tariq A. Madani, El Tayb M.E. Abuelzein, Esam I. Azhar, Hussein M.S. Al-Bar, Ahmed M. Hassan, Thomas G. Ksiazek

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

5 Scopus citations

Abstract

Background: Alkhumra hemorrhagic fever virus (AHFV) is a flavivirus that was discovered in 1995 in Saudi Arabia. Clinical manifestations of AHFV infection include hemorrhagic fever, hepatitis, and encephalitis with a reported mortality rate as high as 25%. There are no published data on the growth characteristics of AHFV in mammalian cell lines. The objective of this study was to examine the ability of AHFV to grow and propagate in four of the commonly used mammalian cell culture lines and to determine the virus growth curve characteristics in each. Materials and Methods: Human epidermoid carcinoma (HEp-2), LLC-MK2, Madin-Darby canine kidney (MDCK), and Vero cell lines were inoculated with AHFV. The virus production by each cell line was determined by growth curve studies. Mean titers were calculated and expressed as median tissue culture infective dose per mL (TCID50/mL). Results: AHFV grew and propagated to variable titers in the employed cell lines. The highest mean titers were observed in the LLC-MK2, followed by the MDCK, Vero, and HEP-2, in descending order. Conclusions: The growth curve studies showed that AHFV can propagate in the four types of cell lines to variable titers. LLC-MK2 cells are superior to MDCK, Vero, and HEP-2 for propagation of AHFV.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)722-727
Number of pages6
JournalVector-Borne and Zoonotic Diseases
Volume16
Issue number11
DOIs
StatePublished - Nov 2016

Keywords

  • Alkhumra hemorrhagic fever virus
  • Growth curve
  • HEp-2
  • Indirect fluorescent antibody test
  • LLC-MK2
  • MDCK
  • TCID50
  • Vero

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Infectious Diseases
  • Virology
  • Microbiology

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