Abstract
Nodamura virus multiplied and caused paralysis and death when injected into the thoraces of adult Aedes albopictus and Toxorhynchites amboinensis mosquitoes but not when similarly injected into Culex quinquefasciatus adults. A. albopictus also became infected after ingesting a Nodamura virus suspension or after immersion in a virus suspension as larvae, but they did not die. Head squash preparations of the injected insects, examined by indirect fluorescent antibody technique, showed large amounts of Nodamura virus antigen in the brain regardless of the mode of infection. Nodamura virus was isolated from and titrated in mosquito cell (AP-61) cultures. Comparative titrations indicate that this method of assay is more sensitive than intracerebral inoculation of infant mice.