Abstract:
Although primary lamb testis (LT) culture seemed to be sensitive and the most suitable for adaptation of recently isolated sheep pox viruses, giving rapid and complete Cyto Pathic Effect (CPE), these cells were difficult to be maintained as a monolayer cell line, also these primary and secondary cultures still have many of the detrimental, inherent characteristics and contaminating elements.
Therefore, the use of more stable cell lines (Vero cells) become necessary for economic SPV seed vaccine preparation. Therefore, three SPV isolates, which previously passaged and adapted in lamb testis culture, (isolates with titre reaching to log 10 6.5 TCID 50/ ml), were chosen to be transferred and propagated on cell lines as Vero. With further studies on its growth curve and growth kinitics to identify the growth behavior of these isolates, followed by detection of the virus antigen in the infected Vero cells by Indirect Florescent Antibody Technique (IFAT) as the first step for antigenic identification of the isolated adapted virus.
Key words: lamb testis, cytopathic effect, sheep pox virus, growth kinetics.