Abstract
Summary
Varicella-zoster virus (VZV) persisted for weeks in a human cell culture system in the presence of phosphonoacetic acid (PAA) and could be recovered from the cultures after removal of the compound. The inhibition of VZV was dose dependant. VZV-Infected HFS cultures were maintained and subcultured in 50 μg/ml PAA with no evidence of cytopathic activity (CPE); when cultures were shifted to PAA-free medium, infectious virus was recovered. The period between removal of PAA and appearance of CPE was directly related to duration of exposure to PAA, and the amount of virus recovered was inversely proportional to the duration of suppressive cultivation. VZV-Specified antigen(s) were detected in the cytoplasm (paranuclear region) of PAA-maintained HFS cells 84–90 hr after inoculation with cell-free VZV.
The authors wish to thank Dr. John Zaia, Sidney Farber Cancer Institute, for supplying some of the sera used in the immunofluorescent studies.
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