Susceptibility of cultured rabbit corneal epithelial cells to various herpes simplex virus isolates

Rabbit corneal epithelial cells were cultured in rabbit corneal epithelial growth medium containing 0.03 mM/L Ca2+ without serum. Their susceptibility to herpes simplex virus (HSV) was compared with that of vero cells. Six clinical isolates obtained from the cornea, three from the oral mucosa, and two from the facial skin were examined. The 50% tissue culture infectious dose (TCID)50 of each isolated strain was calculated for both types of cells. Corneal epithelial cells appeared to be more susceptible to all strains isolated from the cornea or oral mucosa, while corneal epithelial cells and vero cells appeared to be equally susceptible to the two isolates from the skin. Thus, isolates derived from herpetic keratitis will grow better in corneal epithelial cells, suggesting that rabbit corneal epithelial cells are more suitable for isolating viruses from the cornea.