[Comparative study "in vitro" between rabies and rabies related viruses by the sensitized lymphocytes technique]

Rabbit lymphocytes obtained from animals previously exposed to rabies virus undergo a specific lymphoblastic transformation when incubated in vitro in the presence of either the complete virus or a nucleocapsid fraction. This type of in vitro transformation was observed by the Pasteur, Lagos, Mokola, Obodhiang viruses as well as the virus HEP in cells originally exposed only to the virus HEP. In additions to the morphological changes of lymphoblastic transformation, 3H-thymidine incorporation was stimulated about 21 to 67 fold in homologous system and about 6 to 39 in heterologous systems and unrelated with other virus system like influenza. These results suggest an immunological relationship between the classic rabies strains (HEP, Pasteur) and subgroup rhabdovirus (Lagos, Mokola, Obodhiang).