Identification of growing virus
The presence of growing virus is usually detected by:
-
Cytopathic Effect (CPE) - may be specific or non-specific e.g. HSV and CMV produces a specific CPE, whereas enteroviruses do not.
-
Haemadsorption - cells acquire the ability to stick to mammalian red blood cells. Haemadsorption is mainly used for the detection of influenza and parainfluenzaviruses.
Confirmation of the identity of the virus may be carried out using neutralization, haemadsorption- inhibition, immunofluorescence, or molecular tests.
|
|
|
||||
|
|
Left to Right: Cytopathic effect of HSV, enterovirus 71, and RSV in cell culture. Note the ballooning of cells in the cases of HSV and enterovirus 71. Note syncytia formation in the case of RSV. (Linda Stannard. University of Cape Town, Virology Laboratory, Yale-New Haven Hospital)