A low pathogenic strain of avian influenza virus (H5N2) was successfully propagated in both primary
chicken embryo fibroblast (CEF) cells and cell line of baby hamster kidney (BHK-21), African green
monkey kidney (Vero) and Madine Darby canine kidney (MDCK) cells through ten successive
passages; the virus induced cytopathic effect (CPE) from the 1st passage characterized by cell rounding,
elongation and cell disintegration. The most suitable cell cultures for virus propagation were MDCK
and BHK-21 cells that gave the highest titer 107.5 and 107 TCID50/ml respectively at the 10th passage
while the highest titer for Vero and CEF cells were 105.5 and 106.5 TCID50/ml respectively at the
10th passage. H5N2 virus was cell free virus with higher titer comparing to the cell associated virus in
both BHK-21 and MDCK cell line