Comparison of primary rhesus and cynomolgus monkey kidney cell cultures for viral isolation from clinical specimens.

Rhesus monkey kidney and cynomolgus monkey kidney cell cultures were compared for viral isolation by using clinical specimens that yielded 203 viral isolates. Cynomolgus and rhesus monkey kidney cells were comparable for the isolation of 22 adenoviruses, 12 coxsackieviruses, and one poliovirus. Four of 50 echoviruses and seven of ten herpesviruses were detected only in cynomolgus monkey kidney cells. Influenza virus was isolated in 84 instances, of which eight were detected only in rhesus and four only in cynomolgus monkey kidney cells. Rhesus monkey kidney cells yielded six more parainfluenza virus isolates. Except possibly for parainfluenza virus, cynomolgus monkey kidney cells appear to be as sensitive as rhesus monkey kidney cells for viral isolation from clinical specimens.