Inducement of cytopathic changes and plaque formation by porcine haemagglutinating encephalomyelitis virus

ESK cells were shown to be a good medium for propagating the 67N strain of porcine haemagglutinating encephalomyelitis virus, although no cytopathic effect was observed. The virus induced a readily recognizable cytopathic effect in ESK cells, when a non-cytotoxic amount of diethylaminoethyl-dextran (DEAE-dextran) was incorporated in the culture medium. Based on this finding, a sensitive, practical assay method for the virus was developed. When DEAE-dextran was incorporated in the agar overlay medium, 67N virus formed plaques in ESK cell monolayers. The cytopathic effect as well as the plaque formation were specifically inhibited by antisera against the virus. Neutralization tests were developed on the basis of these findings. Neutralization and haemagglutination-inhibition tests on swine serum samples indicated a wide dissemation of haemagglutinating encephalomyelitis virus or antigenically-related viruses in Japanese pigs.