Variation in Thermal Stability among Respiratory Syncytial Virus Clinical Isolates under Non-Freezing Conditions

Virus isolates are not only useful for diagnosing infections, e.g., respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), but can also facilitate many aspects of practical viral studies such as analyses of antigenicity and the action mechanisms of antivirals, among others. We have been isolating RSV from clinical specimens from patients with respiratory symptoms every year since our first isolation of RSV in 1964, and isolation rates have varied considerably over the years. As collected clinical specimens are conventionally stored in a refrigerator from collection to inoculation into cells, we hypothesized that certain storage conditions or associated factors might account for these differences. Hence, we evaluated the thermal stability of a total of 64 viruses isolated from 1998 to 2018 upon storage at 4 degrees C and 20 degrees C for a defined duration. Interestingly, and contrary to our current understanding, 22 strains (34%) showed a greater loss of viability upon short-term storage at 4 degrees C than at 20 degrees C. Thirty-seven strains (57%) showed an almost equal loss, and only five strains (8%) were more stable at 4 degrees C than at 20 degrees C. This finding warrants reconsideration of the temperature for the temporary storage of clinical samples for RSV isolation.