Vervet monkey disease: studies on some physical and chemical properties of the causative agent.

Abstract

Heat inactivation at 56° for 30 min. failed to inactivate completely the causative agent of vervet monkey disease. Higher temperatures or longer periods are required to bring about complete inactivation. Ultraviolet light completely inactivates the agent. There is little if any loss of infectivity on storage at room temperature (+ 20°) + 4° and - 70° over a period of up to 5 weeks. Filters with an average porosity size of 100 mμ or less were required to produce non-infectious filtrates. The viricidal effects of a number of chemicals have been tested and chemotherapeutic studies have been carried out with a variety of antibiotics. Electron micrographs prepared from infected monkey blood reveal particles similar to those seen in monkey and guinea-pig tissue and tissue culture preparations.