Morbillivirus in seals: isolation and some growth characteristics in cell cultures.

The procedure used for the cultural isolation of morbillivirus from seals as well as some growth characteristics of isolates is described briefly. Emphasis was laid upon cytopathic changes typical for morbillivirus and observed in seal kidney cell culture subsequent to inoculation of organ tissue suspensions or buffy coat leucocytes. The modalities which resulted in the identification of 21 morbillivirus isolates from 16 seals by using direct fluorescent antibody (FA) or peroxidase linked antibody (PLA) techniques are outlined and illustrated.