Selection of cell culture systems for virus isolation.

A survey of cell culture systems for virus isolation is presented. Because there is not single cell culture system which will support the many viruses that may be encountered in clinical specimens, the characteristics and susceptibility of primary, diploid, and continuous cell cultures are reviewed. The primary cell culture system should be susceptible to infection with myxoviruses, paramyxoviruses, adenoviruses, and Coxsackie B viruses, since these are not consistently recognized in diploid cell cultures. Conversely, rhinoviruses, cytomegalovirus and varicella-zoster virus may be isolated only in diploid cell cultures. Upon consideration of expected viruses, and cell cultures available for isolation of these, one can choose a combination of a primary and a diploid cell system for virus isolation which will assure detection of most human virus groups known. The usefulness of continuous cell culture systems is generally limited to a very few specific viruses.