Biologic properties of dengue viruses following serial passage in primary dog kidney cells: studies at the University of Hawaii.

Serial passage at low dilution of seven different wild-type dengue (DEN) viruses into primary dog kidney (PDK) cell cultures placed selective pressure that resulted in the following changes from parental phenotype: smaller plaques in LLC-MK2 cells, absent plaque formation in green monkey kidney cells, lack of a cytopathic effect in LLC-MK2 cells, shut-off of virus replication at high temperatures (temperature sensitivity), reduced virulence for rhesus monkeys manifested by reduced or absent viremia and/or absence of a secondary-type antibody response following homotypic challenge, and progressive increase in the mean day of death following intracerebral inoculation of sucking mice. Two DEN-1 strains showed most of these changes by the 15th PDK passage. Only one of two DEN-2 strains studied was carried to the 50th PDK passage at the University of Hawaii.