Evaluation of three cell culture systems as substrates for influenza virus assay.

The propagation of various influenza virus strains in primary rhesus monkey kidney (RMK), primary hamster kidney (HK), and the MDCK-USD canine kidney (CK) cell cultures was compared. Virus-infected cultures were examined for cytopathic effect (CPE) and by performing the hemadsorption (HAd) technique. The highest HAd titers were found most often in HK, followed by RMK and CK. However, the CK cell line provided the best substrate for detecting CPE. Although influenza B strains tended to grow to higher titers, these strains produced less CPE than did the A strains.