Viral culture
Encyclopedia
Viral culture is a laboratory
test in which samples are placed with a cell type
that the virus
being tested for is able to infect. If the cells show changes, known as cytopathic effect
s, then the culture is positive.
Traditional viral culture has been generally superseded by shell vial culture, in which the sample is centrifuged onto a single layer of cells and viral growth is measured by antigen detection methods. This greatly reduces the time to detection for slow growing viruses such as cytomegalovirus
, for which the method was developed. In addition, the centrifugation step in shell vial culture enhances the sensitivity of this method because after centrifugation, the viral particles of the sample are in close proximity to the cells.
Human and monkey cells are used in both traditional viral culture and shell vial culture.
Human virus types that can be identified by viral culture include adenovirus, cytomegalovirus
, enteroviruses, herpes simplex virus
, influenza virus, parainfluenza virus, rhinovirus
, respiratory syncytial virus, varicella zoster virus
, measles
and mumps
. For these, the final identification method is generally by immunofluorescence
, with exception of cytomegalovirus and rhinovirus, whose identification in a viral culture are determined by cytopathic effect
s.
Laboratory
A laboratory is a facility that provides controlled conditions in which scientific research, experiments, and measurement may be performed. The title of laboratory is also used for certain other facilities where the processes or equipment used are similar to those in scientific laboratories...
test in which samples are placed with a cell type
Cell (biology)
The cell is the basic structural and functional unit of all known living organisms. It is the smallest unit of life that is classified as a living thing, and is often called the building block of life. The Alberts text discusses how the "cellular building blocks" move to shape developing embryos....
that the virus
Virus
A virus is a small infectious agent that can replicate only inside the living cells of organisms. Viruses infect all types of organisms, from animals and plants to bacteria and archaea...
being tested for is able to infect. If the cells show changes, known as cytopathic effect
Cytopathic effect
Cytopathic effect or cytopathogenic effect refers to degenerative changes in cells, especially in tissue culture, and may be associated with the multiplication of certain viruses....
s, then the culture is positive.
Traditional viral culture has been generally superseded by shell vial culture, in which the sample is centrifuged onto a single layer of cells and viral growth is measured by antigen detection methods. This greatly reduces the time to detection for slow growing viruses such as cytomegalovirus
Cytomegalovirus
Cytomegalovirus is a viral genus of the viral group known as Herpesviridae or herpesviruses. It is typically abbreviated as CMV: The species that infects humans is commonly known as human CMV or human herpesvirus-5 , and is the most studied of all cytomegaloviruses...
, for which the method was developed. In addition, the centrifugation step in shell vial culture enhances the sensitivity of this method because after centrifugation, the viral particles of the sample are in close proximity to the cells.
Human and monkey cells are used in both traditional viral culture and shell vial culture.
Human virus types that can be identified by viral culture include adenovirus, cytomegalovirus
Cytomegalovirus
Cytomegalovirus is a viral genus of the viral group known as Herpesviridae or herpesviruses. It is typically abbreviated as CMV: The species that infects humans is commonly known as human CMV or human herpesvirus-5 , and is the most studied of all cytomegaloviruses...
, enteroviruses, herpes simplex virus
Herpes simplex virus
Herpes simplex virus 1 and 2 , also known as Human herpes virus 1 and 2 , are two members of the herpes virus family, Herpesviridae, that infect humans. Both HSV-1 and HSV-2 are ubiquitous and contagious...
, influenza virus, parainfluenza virus, rhinovirus
Rhinovirus
Human rhinoviruses are the most common viral infective agents in humans and are the predominant cause of the common cold. Rhinovirus infection proliferates in temperatures between 33–35 °C , and this may be why it occurs primarily in the nose...
, respiratory syncytial virus, varicella zoster virus
Varicella zoster virus
Varicella zoster virus is one of eight herpes viruses known to infect humans . It commonly causes chicken-pox in children and Herpes zoster in adults and rarely in children.-Nomenclature:...
, measles
Measles
Measles, also known as rubeola or morbilli, is an infection of the respiratory system caused by a virus, specifically a paramyxovirus of the genus Morbillivirus. Morbilliviruses, like other paramyxoviruses, are enveloped, single-stranded, negative-sense RNA viruses...
and mumps
Mumps
Mumps is a viral disease of the human species, caused by the mumps virus. Before the development of vaccination and the introduction of a vaccine, it was a common childhood disease worldwide...
. For these, the final identification method is generally by immunofluorescence
Immunofluorescence
Immunofluorescence is a technique used for light microscopy with a fluorescence microscope and is used primarily on biological samples. This technique uses the specificity of antibodies to their antigen to target fluorescent dyes to specific biomolecule targets within a cell, and therefore allows...
, with exception of cytomegalovirus and rhinovirus, whose identification in a viral culture are determined by cytopathic effect
Cytopathic effect
Cytopathic effect or cytopathogenic effect refers to degenerative changes in cells, especially in tissue culture, and may be associated with the multiplication of certain viruses....
s.
See also
- Cell cultureCell cultureCell culture is the complex process by which cells are grown under controlled conditions. In practice, the term "cell culture" has come to refer to the culturing of cells derived from singlecellular eukaryotes, especially animal cells. However, there are also cultures of plants, fungi and microbes,...
- Instruments used in microbiologyInstruments used in microbiologyInstruments used specially in microbiology are as follows:__Forcetoc__- Instrument list :autoclave used for sterilization of glass ware and mediaCentrifuge toseperate suparnatent & pallete...
- Laboratory diagnosis of viral infections
- Viral plaqueViral plaqueA viral plaque is a visible structure formed within a cell culture, such as bacterial cultures within some nutrient medium . The bacteriophage viruses replicate and spread, thus generating regions of cell destructions known as plaques....