Abstract
Abstract
Cultured Aedes albopictus mosquito cells were infected at optimal (28°) and suboptimal (20°) temperatures with dengue virus type-3 at multiplicities of infection of 2.0 and 0.01. Extracellular and intracellular virus titers were determined over an interval of 6 weeks by fluorescent focus assay using hyperimmune mouse ascities fluid as a source of antibody. Upon infection at a multiplicity of 2.0, cultures at 28° reached peak virus titers in 3 days, while cultures at 20° required 14 days. At a lower infection multiplicity of 0.01, peak titers were reached in 5 days at 28°, but required 3 weeks at 20°. Viral titers maintained after the peak was reached were the same at both infection multiplicities and temperatures tested. At both 28° and 20° A. albopictus cultures became persistently infected with 20-30% of the cells containing immunofluorescent cell-associated viral antigen. These results indicate that the time required to reach peak infectious virus titers for dengue-3-infected A. albopictus cell cultures is temperature dependent. In contrast, the viral titers maintained after the peak was reached, the release of virus from infected cells, and the establishment of persistent infection were the same at both 28° and 20°.
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