Persistence of virulent canine distemper virus in lymphoblastoid cell lines

Abstract
Persistent infection with virulent canine distemper virus (CDV-SH) was established in 2 human lymphoblastoid B cell lines (Wi-L2 and Raji), and one human (HSB), one simian (1670) and one canine (CT-45-S) lymphoblastoid T cell line. Cell free virus from persistently infected T cell lines was avirulent for dogs but virulence was maintained during 31 cell passages in persistently infected B cell lines.