01445nas a2200217   4500000000100000000000100001008004100002260007000043653002000113653001200133653001400145653001600159100001400175700001100189245006200200250000800262300001200270490000800282520092300290022001401213       2016                            d  c03/2016bSchlütersche Verlagsgesellschaft mbH & Co. KGaHannover10aOrthobunyavirus10astorage10astability10ainfectivity1 aK Wernike1 aM Beer00aStability of Schmallenberg virus during long-term storage  a3/4  a144-1460 v1293 aSchmallenberg virus (SBV), a novel insect-transmitted orthobunyavirus that infects ruminants, caused a large epidemic in European livestock since its emergence in 2011. For the in vitro characterization of this hitherto unknown virus as well as for antibody detection tests like indirect immunofluorescence and neutralization test infectious virus is necessary. To determine the most suitable storage temperature, culture-grown SBV was kept at 37°C, 28°C, 4°C, –20°C and –70°C for up to one year. A storage at 37°C led to a complete loss of infectivity within days and at 28°C within a few weeks. When stored at 4°C the infectious titer decreased dependent on the starting quantity, whereas the viral titer was almost constant for a month at –20°C and remained constant for the study period when stored at –70°C. Consequently, SBV should be kept at –70°C, if retention of infectivity is required.   a0005-9366