Virus hepatitis of geese. 3. Properties of the causal agent

Characteristics of the goose hepatitis virus strain SHM 319 were studied in goose embryos and tissue cultures of avian origin. The virus was found to be resistant to both ether and sodium deoxycholate (0.25%). The growth of the virus was inhibited by 5-iodo-2-deoxyuridine. Virus infectivity was not affected by heating at 56 degrees C for 3 hours, exposure to pH 3.0, formalin (1:1000), and other inactivating chemicals. Cell culture systems of three avian species were inoculated with GVH-SHM 319. Extensive cytopathic effect was produced only in goose cell cultures. No virus replication was observed in chicken or White Pekin duck cells. Fluorescent antibody staining revealed granular nuclear staining in infected susceptible tissue cultures. May-Grunwald-Giemsa-staining of infected tissue culture cells showed formation of mainly intranuclear inclusion bodies. Millipore filtration procedures revealed a particle size less than 50 nm. Hemagglutination was not observed. Precipitating antibodies could not be detected in GHV hyperimmunized birds. Neutralization tests could not demonstrate a relationship to known viruses of waterfowl, including duck virus enteritis and duck virus hepatitis. A certain discrepancy in the neutralization test with Hungarian goose sera is discussed.