Laboratory characteristics of the "Yarmouk" strain of Crimean-Congo haemorrhagic fever virus.

The "Yarmouk" strain of Crimean-Congo haemorrhagic fever (CCHF) virus lost 78% and 42% of its infective titers after treatment with ether and chloroform respectively. It lost completely its infectivity property after treatment with sodium deoxycholate. The virus was completely inactivated by heating at 56, 60 and 70 degrees C for 30, 10 and 5 minutes respectively. Neither virus growth nor viral antigen were detected in primary cell cultures of lamb testis, rabbit kidney and chicken embryo fibroloast. The virus grew wit prominant CPE in primary cell culture and cell line of lamb kidney. Experimental inoculation of sheep and goat resulted in viraemia without overt disease. The virus was reisolated from the blood of inoculated animals till the 5th day postinoculation (pi). Seroconversion was observed 2 to 5 weeks pi. Contact control animals were free from antibodies to the virus.