Viral contamination of fetal bovine serum used for tissue culture: risks and concerns
Erickson, G.A.; Bolin, S.R.; Landgraf, J.G.
Developments in Biological Standardization 75: 173-175
1991
ISSN/ISBN: 0301-5149 PMID: 1665460 Document Number: 374686
Four viral contaminants have been routinely detected in unprocessed and commercial lots of fetal bovine serum: bacteriophage, infectious bovine rhinotracheitis, parainfluenza-3 and bovine viral diarrhea virus (BVDV). Of those, BVDV is consistently present in a majority of commercial lots of fetal bovine serum. Methods for BVDV detection and removal are reviewed. The tentative role of an unclassified pestivirus in microcephaly of infants has been reported. Its significance remains uncertain.