Growth and cytopathic effect of Japanese encephalitis virus in astrocyte-enriched cell cultures from neonatal mouse brains.

Neuron-free, astrocyte-enriched brain cell cultures from newborn mice could be infected with Japanese encephalitis virus (JEV) as evidenced by immunofluorescence (IF), viral replication and cytopathic effect (CPE). Virus-specific cytoplasmic fluorescence was detectable in astrocytes first after 18 hrs, released infectious progeny virus in the culture fluid after 24 hrs, and CPE after 11 days post infection (p.i.).