Characterization of the Largemouth Bass Virus in Cell Culture

Abstract

The largemouth bass virus (LMBV) was characterized in cell culture, by infectivity in five cell lines of fish origin, optimum replication temperature, and ether and pH sensitivity. Viral induced cytopathic effect (CPE) appeared most rapidly in bluegill fry-2 (BF-2) and fathead minnow (FHM) cell lines where the optimum temperature for LMBV replication was 30°C. In a one-step growth curve in BF-2 cells, LMBV reached 10^8.6 TCID50/mL (±0.12 log SD) in 24 h. The virus showed reduced infectivity when treated with ether but was stable when held in medium with a pH 3–9 for 12 h at 4°C. These characteristics further support the classification of LMBV in the family Iridoviridae.