Persistent measles virus infection in a calf kidney cell line. Note I. Establishment of calf kidney cell lines chronically infected with measles virus and some of their biological characteristics.

Several types of persistent measles virus infection resulting in lytic infections could be established in a calf kidney cell line, according to the passage level of the substrate and to the virus strain inoculated. Persistent measles virus infection in calf kidney cells was characterized by the limited proportion of infected cells, the large amount of infectant virus, and the alteration of morphological and growth characteristics of the cells. The mechanism of this persistent infection is discussed.