Final answer:
Culturing animal viruses involves growing the virus either in vivo using living organisms or in vitro within cell culture environments. Techniques like the use of embryonated bird's eggs and observing cytopathic effects in cell cultures are among the methods used. PCR can also be employed for rapid viral detection.
Step-by-step explanation:
Culturing Animal Viruses in the Laboratory
Culturing animal viruses in the laboratory is a critical process in virology, essential for understanding viral infections, developing vaccines, and conducting research. Viral cultivation necessitates the presence of host cells. A virus can be grown in vivo within a living organism or in vitro in a controlled cell culture environment.
To culture animal viruses, techniques such as the use of embryonated bird's eggs, such as chicken or turkey eggs, for the cultivation of influenza vaccines are common. Additionally, for in vitro studies, primary cell culture from animal tissues or continuous cell lines can provide the necessary environment for viruses to grow.
For the diagnosis and identification of viral infections, virologic and serologic techniques can be used. Cytopathic effects (CPEs) can be observed in cell cultures infected by viruses. These can include characteristic changes to infected cells, such as loss of adherence to the culture vessel or other morphological changes. More rapid diagnostic methods such as Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) may be used in some cases, which do not rely on visible changes or amplification in culture but rather detect viral genetic material directly.