Viral contamination of a mosquito cell line,Aedes albopictus,associated with syncytium formation

Summary Viral contamination associated with syncytium formation in two sublines of Singh’sAedes albopictus cell cultures was investigated. Electron microscopy of the syncytia revealed the presence of five different types of virus-like particles, which morphologically resembled the parvo-, picorna-, toga-, and orbi-, and bacterial viruses. When a virusfree subline of theA. albopictus cells (SL3) was inoculated with extracts of the syncytium-formingA. albopictus cells, the parvo-, toga-, and orbi-type viral agents were consistently observed. Among these three agents, the togavirus-type agent is most likely responsible for the syncytium induction. Serological examination of the infected cell extract indicated that at least one of three virus-like agents, presumably the togavirus-type agent, was related to Chikungunya, O’nyong-nyong, and Western equine encephalomyelitis viruses (alphaviruses of the Togaviridae), but separable from these. Supported, in part, by USPHS-NIH General Research Grant No. PH S 5 SO1 RRO5679-06 from U.S. Pubic Health Service, Washington, D.C., to Boyce Thompson Institute.