[Use of a continuous human T-lymphocyte H9 culture for screening chemical preparations that suppress the reproduction of the human immunodeficiency virus].

Studies were carried out on the effectiveness of ribamidil, sodium phosphonoformate, cortisone, and deksazon as inhibitors of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) reproduction which was tested by immunofluorescence. The drugs were screened in H9/IIIB culture permissively infected with HIV virus, and in H9 culture subsequently infected with cell-free virus-containing culture fluid or by adding live cells from H9/IIIB culture. The latter variant was shown to be advantageous, especially if the available cultures did not produce large amounts of the virus. Because of the effectiveness of the immunosuppressants, the possibility of screening in lymphocyte cultures and selection of preparations exerting no true antiviral effect is discussed.