Isolation and characterisation of a defective measles virus from a subacute sclerosing panencephalitis patient

✍ Scribed by Dr. T. F. Wild; P. Giraudon; A. Bernard; J. Huppert

• Publisher: John Wiley and Sons
• Year: 1979
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 770 KB
• Volume: 4
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 0146-6615
• DOI: 10.1002/jmv.1890040205

✦ Synopsis

A cytopathic measles virus was isolated from a brain biopsy of a subacute sclerosing panencephalitis (SSPE) patient. The agent could be transferred to Vero cells by cocultivation, but the infectivity always remained cell-associated -ie, a defective virus infection. The cell-associated nature of the virus was retained through 25 passages in Vero cells. Intracerebral inoculation of hamsters (2-6 days old) with the cocultured Vero cells gave rise to 100% mortality in 5-7 days. The virus retained its cell-associated nature after passage in hamsters. Electron microscopy of the brain and Vero cocultures showed the presence of virus-like ribonucleoparticles mainly in the nucleus. The presence of viral antigens in the nucleus, cytoplasm, and on the plasma membranes was confirmed by immunofluorescence. Using a combination of immunological and biochemical techniques, it was shown that all the viral proteins were synthesized with the exception of the haemagglutinin. Inclusion of the fusion inhibitor SV4814 (CBZ-D phenylalanine-L-phenylalanine-L-arginine-NO2) in the culture medium led to the elimination of the SSPE infection.