Pig erythrocyte ghost cells used for concentration of enteric viruses from experimentally contaminated clinical specimens.

A simple, rapid and efficient procedure of virus concentration from urine, cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), and feces was developed. Pig erythrocyte ghost cells were used to adsorb and elute such viruses as poliovirus LSC-1, echovirus 6, and human rotavirus (clinical isolate). In urine and CSF, the adsorption efficiency range was 80-100% and elution was from 85% to greater than 100%. In addition, poliovirus LSC-1 was used as an experimental model to examine this procedure under various clinical conditions, such as calcium, glucose, amino acids, and urea at high concentrations. These were added to normal urine specimens to simulate pathological conditions. The results suggest that pig erythrocyte ghost cells are an efficient matrix for adsorption and elution of enteric viruses found in clinical specimens of urine, CSF, and feces. This method might be useful in virus concentration from clinical specimens and for preparative microscopy and other clinical laboratory methods that require subsequent virus concentration.