Increased sugar transport in BHK cells infected with Semliki Forest virus or with herpes simplex virus

Infection of BHK cells by SFV increases the rate of uptake of [3H]MeGlc and of [3H]dGlc at approximately 2 hours p.i. Infection by HSV increases the uptake of [3H]MeGlc and [3H]dGlc at approximately 10 hours p.i.; the increased uptake is prevented by acyclovir. It is concluded that an increased sugar uptake by infected cells reflects an increased rate of transport across the plasma membrane and is the result of cellular changes caused by virus infection.