Abstract

Raspberry vein chlorosis virus (RVCV) is a rhabdovirus transmitted by Aphis idaei. Electron microscopy of thin sections of aphids that had fed for 14 days on RVCV-infected plants revealed enveloped particles similar to those found previously in infected plants. The particles occurred in muscle, brain and salivary gland tissue. Most of them had one rounded and one flat end and measured about 66 x 175 nm; a few had both ends rounded and were about 335 nm long. No such particles were found in aphids that had fed on virus-free plants. We conclude that the particles are those of RVCV, and suggest that it multiplies in its aphid vector and is transmitted in a persistent manner.