ABSTRACT In vitro studies on the pathogenesis of the human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) are conducted regularly using laboratory adapted strains that lose some characteristics during the adaptation process. Since HCMV is excreted from bodily fluids during infection or reactivation, this work aimed to isolate and culture HCMV from the MRC-5 human cells found in the urine, bronchoalveolar lavage, saliva, and plasma samples of pediatric patients with probable or confirmed infection. The samples were inoculated on cell cultures either for 14 days or until a cytopathic effect (CPE) of 80 % was observed. The cell lysates and supernatants were used to perform successive viral passages. Besides HCMV, the herpes simplex virus was detected from all the saliva samples.... |