Specific B lymphocyte suppression by infectious bursal agent (Gumboro disease virus) in chickens.
Chickens infected experimentally with infectious bursal agent (IBA) during embryonation or early after hatching show a severe depression of bursa-dependent lymphoid components, and associated immune functions. Data presented here and elsewhere show that the degree of B cell suppression correlates with the time of infection. This would be compatible with a virus-induced block in B lymphocyte differentiation. Accordingly, the virus may be cytopathic for early (bursal) but not late (circulating) B lymphocytes or, more likely, the virus inactivates those non-lymphoid bursal cells mediating lymphocyte differentiation.
Hudson
L
L
Department of Immunology, Middlesex Hospital Medical School, London.
Pattison
M
M
Thantrey
N
N
D000818:Animals; D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology; D018175:Birnaviridae Infections / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology; D002060:Bursa of Fabricius / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology; D002454:Cell Differentiation; D002642:Chick Embryo; D002645:Chickens; D003588:Cytopathogenic Effect, Viral; D006462:Hemolytic Plaque Technique; D007108:Immune Tolerance; D007243:Infectious bursal disease virus / Q000276:immunology / Q000472:pathogenicity*