Contamination of primary embryonic bovine kidney cell cultures with parainfluenza type 2 simian virus 5 and infectious bovine rhinotracheitis virus.

Two different viruses were isolated from bovine embryonic cell cultures after two subcultures from the primary cells. One virus was identified as parainfluenza type 2 simian virus 5 (SV-5), and the other was identified as infectious bovine rhinotracheitis virus. Six months later, stock cultures of pig kidney (PK-15) cells were found to be contaminated with SV-5 virus. We believe that the source of the SV-5 virus in the bovine cells was a cross-contamination from monkey kidneys during preparation of the cell cultures. The infectious bovine rhinotracheitis contamination was probably of endogenous origin. The bovine embryonic cell cultures were the probable source of contamination of the PK-15 cells with SV-5 virus.