This 1965 study documents the accidental contamination of rhinovirus seed pools with Coxsackie B virus type 5 during laboratory work with HEp2 cell cultures. The researcher inoculated HGP rhinovirus (an M strain) into HEp2 cell suspension cultures in spinner flasks to obtain high-titer virus stocks. Unexpectedly, a second virus appeared that displaced the rhinovirus and was initially called "spinner virus" due to its association with spinner flask experiments. Through serological testing, complement-fixation assays, and biological characterization, the author determined that spinner virus was not a mutant of HGP or a latent cell contaminant, but rather Coxsackie B virus type 5 that had contaminated the original rhinovirus seed pools. The contamination likely originated from a stool isolate present during seed pool preparation. The virus was difficult to detect initially because it appeared only in trace amounts and produced cytopathic effects indistinguishable from rhinovirus. The author demonstrated that contamination probably occurred during routine medium changes through hand contact with culture tube lips, with flaming being insufficient to prevent transmission. This case illustrates the challenges of maintaining aseptic conditions in virology laboratories handling multiple viral agents simultaneously.

Key findings

• Two rhinovirus seed pools were contaminated with Coxsackie B virus type 5, which was only consistently detected in spinner flask experiments using large undiluted virus volumes.
• The contaminant originated from a stool isolate present during seed pool preparation and was serologically and biologically distinct from the rhinovirus being cultured.
• The contamination likely occurred during medium changes when culture tube lips contacted contaminated hands, and routine flaming was insufficient to prevent viral transmission.
• Spinner virus shared several biological properties with rhinovirus, making it difficult to recognize as a contaminant, and its cytopathic effects were indistinguishable from HGP rhinovirus in tube cultures.
• The study demonstrates the importance of rigorous aseptic technique and the particular contamination risks when multiple viral agents are simultaneously present in a laboratory.