Immunological control of a murine gammaherpesvirus independent of CD8(+) Tcells

Adult thymectomized C57BL/6J mice were depleted of T cell subsets by MAb tr eatment either prior to, or after, respiratory challenge with murine gammah erpesvirus-68. Protection against acute infection was maintained when eithe r the CD4(+) or the CD8(+) T cell population was greatly diminished, wherea s the concurrent removal of both T cell subsets proved invariably fatal. Th e same depletions had little effect on mice with established infection. The results indicate firstly that both CD4(+) and CD8(+) T cells play a signif icant part in dealing with the acute infection, and secondly that virus-spe cific antibody contributes to controlling persistent infection with this ga mmaherpesvirus.