A very small porcine virus with circular single-stranded DNA

• DOI: 10.1038/295064a0
• Publication Date: 2004-11-17T20:23:08Z
• Authors: I. Tischer; H. Gelderblom; W. Vettermann; M. A. Koch
• Keywords: Circovirus; Cytopathic effect

It was reported previously that cultures of the porcine PK-15 cell line (ATCC-CCL31) were chronically infected with a small virus, supposedly containing RNA1. No gross cytopathic effect was seen in these cultures. During the search for an in vitro model of persistent virus infections the agent was studied in more detail. These studies showed the virus to have a diameter of 17 nm, and to contain a covalently closed circular single-stranded DNA with a molecular weight of 0.58 × 106 and a main capsid polypeptide with a molecular weight of 36,000. Of the animals tested, only pigs were found to have antibodies. On the basis of these properties the virus appears to be a member of a family of animal viruses so far not encountered. We have named the virus porcine circovirus (PCV).