[Chronic infection of VERO cell cultures with Japanese encephalitis virus. 2. Certain characteristics of variability of persistent viruses].

Japanese encephalitis virus contained in the medium of chronically infected VERO-K43 cell cultures was shown to be sensitive to the effect of RNA-ase, resistant to treatment with urea, to have no hemagglutinating activity. After 2 passages in suckling mouse brain the virus lost its sensitivity to RNA-ase, was inactivated by urea, and its hemagglutinating activity was restored. The importance of Japanese encephalitis virus variability in the mechanism of chronic infection of cell cultures is discussed.