Growth and intracellular development of a new respiratory virus.

The multiplication of a new, ether-sensitive, ribonucleic acid virus, 229E, isolated from the human respiratory tract, has been studied in cultures of WI-38 human diploid cells. In thin sections of these cells examined with the electron microscope, particles appeared in vesicles in the cytoplasm of cells at a time corresponding to the initial increase in infectious virus. Antigen was also detected in the cytoplasm of cells by the immunofluorescent technique. Extracellular particles of similar morphology were prominent soon after. These events preceded a detectable cytopathic effect. Later, an electron-dense particle appeared within vacuoles in the cytoplasm but was never found extracellularly. Its role in virus development is not known. Complement-fixing antigen developed along with the increase in infectious virus.