Susceptibility of bovine umbilical cord endothelial cells to bovine herpesviruses and pseudocowpox virus.

The purpose of the study was to determine the susceptibility of bovine umbilical cord endothelial (BUE) cells to bovine herpesvirus (BHV) 1, BHV2, BHV4 and BHV5, and to pseudocowpox virus. The detection limits and growth curves of these viruses in BUE cells were compared with those in Vero, Madin-Darby bovine kidney (MDBK). or bovine fetal diploid lung (BFDL) cells. Detection limits were determined by inoculating cell cultures with serial 10-fold dilutions of these viruses, and growth curves by titration of virus, harvested at various times after infecting cells at a multiplicity of infection of 0.1. The detection limits of BHV2 and BHV4 were lower in BUE cells than in Vero or MDBK cells, and cytopathic effects were observed earlier in BUE cells. In addition, BHV2 and BHV4 grew to higher titres in BUE cells than in Vero or MDBK cells. BUE cells appeared to be equally susceptible to BHV5, but less susceptible to BHV1.1 and BHVI.2 than MDBK cells. The study showed that BUE cells are highly susceptible to BHV2 and BHV4. and that the use of BUE cells can improve the laboratory diagnosis of these viruses. The use of BUE cells could also improve the isolation and growth of pseudocowpox virus.