Isolation and characterization of lymphocyte associated foamy virus from a red uakari monkey (Cacajao rubicundus).

A syncytium-forming virus was isolated from the lymphocytes of a uakari monkey 70 days after establishing a lymphocyte/owl monkey kidney coculture in the wild. The morphology and morphogenesis of the virus, plus its physicochemical characteristics indicate that the agent is a foamy virus. An unusal cell alteration found in cultures infected with this foamy was the formation of eosinophilic intracytoplasmic inclusion in association with the syncytia. The agent was found to be antigenically distinct to other known simian foamy viruses.

Isolation and in vitro characterization of a herpesvirus from ground squirrels (Citellus sp).

A viral agent was isolated from ground squirrel primary kidney cultures which presented a spontaneous cell layer alteration. The cultural, morphologic, and physico-chemical characteristics of the agent indicated that it belongs in the herpesvirus group. The isolate presented a narrow in vitro cell host range, growing best in marmoset monkey, owl monkey, rabbit, and hamster kidney cultures and poorly in Vero and dog fetal lung cells. The agent is readily released from infected cells, a fact which indicates that it is a cell-free virus. Good plaque formation was observed only in marmoset monkey kidney monolayers. The virus was not neutralized by antisera against other herpesviruses with the exception of a partial 1-way cross-neutralization between ground squirrel agent and Herpesvirus saguinus antisera. All these characteristics indicate that this virus is likely a new member of the herpesvirus family.