Apoptosis of bursal lymphoid cells in chickens experimentally infected with IBDV(SH/92)

Chickens at 3-weeks of age were inoculated with a highly virulent strain (SH/92) of Infectious Bursal Disease Virus(IBDV) through ocular and cloacal routes. The infected chickens were killed at 6, 12, 24, 48, 72, and 96 hrs post inoculation (PI) and Bursa of Fabricius(BF) were collected. The sizes of bursal follicules in infected chickens decreased at 48 to 96 hrs PI. Histologically the cellular changes were first evident at 12 hrs PI and characterized by condensation of nuclear chromatin of bursal lymphocytes indicating apoptosis. By 24 hrs PI apoptotic lymphocytes dramatically increased. In addition infiltration of heterophils were also seen in the follicles and in the interfollicular connective tissues. At 48 hrs PI, cystic cavities were observed in the follicles. As the infection advanced the bursal follicles showed atrophy accompanied by disappearance of heterophils and reduction in number of lymphocytes in the cystic cavities which was replaced by proteineous materials. The nuclei of most affected lymphocyte stained positively with the in situ end labeling for apoptosis. Electron microscopy showed viral particles with crystalline array in the lymphocytes of BF infected with IBOV. These results indicated that SH/92 IBDV infection in chickens caused increased apoptosis in the BF.