Growth of Arboviruses and Other Viruses in a Continuous Line of Culex Tarsalis Cells1

Abstract

A Culex tarsalis mosquito cell line was evaluated for susceptibility to infection with 5 togaviruses, 6 bunyaviruses and 4 rhabdoviruses at 25°C. Ten viruses multiplied in this cell line: 6 mosquito-borne viruses [Western equine encephalomyelitis (WEE), St. Louis encephalitis, Turlock, California encephalitis, Jamestown Canyon, and Hart Park]; 3 Culicoidestransmitted viruses (Buttonwillow, Lokern and Main Drain); and 1 sand fly-transmitted virus (vesicular stomatitis-Indiana). A tick-borne virus (Powassan) and 2 nonarthropod-borne flaviviruses (Modoc and Rio Bravo) failed to replicate. Two of the rhabdoviruses, cocal and vesicular stomatitis-New Jersey, also failed to grow or grew poorly. An uncloned strain of WEE virus multiplied much better than did a cloned, large-plaque variant of WEE virus derived from this strain.