In vitro identification and characterization of a virus isolated from a dog with neurological dysfunction

A virus, 78-238, isolated from the cerebrospinal fluid of a dog with neurological dysfunction, was characterized as a paramyxovirus. This conclusion was supported by viral cytopathic effects and morphological appearance of virions and nucleocapsids in infected cells. Nucleocapsids were found in the cytoplasm of all infected cells and in the nuclei of 0.001% of these cells. Growth curves revealed that a high percentage (>/=76%) of infectious progeny virus was cell released. Persistent infection of Vero cells with 78-238 showed a consistently high percentage of fluorescence-positive cells and a low proportion of hemadsorption-positive cells. Serological studies indicate that the virus was closely related to Simian virus 5 and reference canine parainfluenza virus.