Viral culture is done in laboratories in order to test samples and figure out if the sample is a virus or not. These samples are placed with a certain cell type that the virus being tested for is able to infect. If the certain cell type shows cytopathic effects, change in cells, or if the virus grows and multiplies, then the culture contains positive for a virus. Traditionally, a virus is detected by antigen detection methods, when a sample is centrifuged on a single layer of cells; this test is called shell vial culture. Joan Rhoderick, a civilian technician, cultured an unknown agent from a monkey labeled Monkey O53. The four samples that were used to culture the Ebola virus were from the spleen, kidney, mucus, and blood. What she did was obtain a bit of spleen from Monkey O53 and ground it with a mortar and pestle, creating a mushy and bloody texture. She then placed the ground up spleen into flasks that contain living cells from a monkey’s kidney. She also placed some of Monkey O53’s throat mucus in a flask, and she obtains the monkey’s blood serum and placed it another flask. She placed the rack of flasks “into a warmer—an incubator, held at body temperature—and hoped that something would grow” (Preston 106).
Preston, R (1994). The Hot Zone (p.106). New York City, New York: Anchor Books.
Hi Karen, what sample produced the best result? When testing for the Ebola virus, what sample should taken from a person who has just contracted the virus? What about from someone who is deceased?
Viral culture is done in laboratories in order to test samples and figure out if the sample is a virus or not. These samples are placed with a certain cell type that the virus being tested for is able to infect. If the certain cell type shows cytopathic effects, change in cells, or if the virus grows and multiplies, then the culture contains positive for a virus. Traditionally, a virus is detected by antigen detection methods, when a sample is centrifuged on a single layer of cells; this test is called shell vial culture. Joan Rhoderick, a civilian technician, cultured an unknown agent from a monkey labeled Monkey O53. The four samples that were used to culture the Ebola virus were from the spleen, kidney, mucus, and blood. What she did was obtain a bit of spleen from Monkey O53 and ground it with a mortar and pestle, creating a mushy and bloody texture. She then placed the ground up spleen into flasks that contain living cells from a monkey’s kidney. She also placed some of Monkey O53’s throat mucus in a flask, and she obtains the monkey’s blood serum and placed it another flask. She placed the rack of flasks “into a warmer—an incubator, held at body temperature—and hoped that something would grow” (Preston 106).
ReplyDeletePreston, R (1994). The Hot Zone (p.106). New York City, New York: Anchor Books.
Hi Karen, what sample produced the best result? When testing for the Ebola virus, what sample should taken from a person who has just contracted the virus? What about from someone who is deceased?
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