[Chronic infection of HEp-2 cells with the L-16 vaccinal strain of the measles virus].

Chronic infection of HEp-2 cells with the vaccine L-16 strain of measles virus was produced. HEp-2 culture infected with the measles virus (HEp-2 MV) is characterized by the presence of the virus-specific antigen in 95% of the cells, adsorption of simian erythrocytes on all cells in the culture and the absence of infectious virus in the medium. The infectious virus is detected in the culture fluid only after destruction of the cells in the chronically infected culture. HEp-2 MV is resistant to infection with measles virus but susceptible to infection with mumps and herpes simplex viruses. The expression of virus-specific antigen in cells of chronically infected culture was found to be temperature-dependent.