Adaptation of classical swine fever virus (lapinized strain) in PK-15 cells and confirmation by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and fluorescent antibody technique (FAT)

The lapinized swine fever vaccine was adapted to grow in a porcine kidney cell line (PK-15). An RT-PCR was developed for detection of viral RNA in infected cells. FAT was also standardized for detection of infected foci in the infected cells cultured in vitro. Adaptation of the virus in the PK-15 cells was confirmed by detection of viral infection in infected cells by RT-PCR and FAT. Titre of the virus in PK-15 cells was found to be 10(5.5) TCID50/ml as determined by FAT. The cell adapted classical swine fever virus developed in the present study provides a scope to undertake further research on swine fever virus in India towards development of cell culture vaccine for use in the country.