Isolation of Herpesvirus saimiri From Blood of Squirrel Monkeys (Saimiri sciureus)2

Abstract

Virus was isolated from 11 of 13 blood samples obtained from healthy squirrel monkeys (Saimiri sciureus); these isolates were antigenically similar, if not identical, to Herpesvirus saimiri (HVS). By co-cultivation with vero cells, virus was isolated from both whole blood and lymphocytes separated from whole blood on Ficoll-Hypaque (FH) gradients. Attempts to isolate virus from FH cell pellets (erythrocytes and polymorphonuclear leukocytes) or cell-free extracts of whole blood, lymphocytes or cell pellets failed. The squirrel monkey isolates were neutralized or reacted positively in immunofluorescence tests with anti-HVS sera but not with antisera to herpes simplex virus or Herpesvirus platyrrhinae. Cotton-topped (Saguinus oedipus) and white-lipped (S. fuscicollis and S. nigricollis) marmosets, experimentally infected with 1 isolate, developed a lympho-proliferative disease and survived 18–26 days post inoculation. Macroscopic and microscopic features of the neoplastic disease were indistinguishable from those produced by the prototype strain of HVS.