OBSERVATIONS ON CELLULAR-RESPONSE IN EXPERIMENTALLY SHEEP-POX-INFECTED LAMBS

The observation on T cell mediated responses in experimentally sheep-p ox virus (SPV)-infected lambs, was made on the basis of virus (SPV) an tigen induced lymphocyte proliferation, interleukin-2 (IL-2) productio n ability of peripheral blood lymphocytes (PBL), IL-2 receptor express ion, leucocyte migration inhibition (LMIA) and lymphocyte subset alter ation in the peripheral blood by using panel of mouse monoclonal antib odies to sheep leucocyte antigen designated as CD4, CD8, CDS, T19, CD4 5, CD2, B.MHC: class I and MHC class II. The sequential changes in PBL subset population with considerable decrease in CD8+ ratio (30.5 to 1 .26) in the post-infection period of lambs were significant. The speci fic viral antigen induced lymphocyte blastogenesis and release of incr eased amounts of soluble factors especially IL-2 post viral infection is regarded as in vitro correlate of cell-mediated immune response (CM I) against pox.