Target cells for duck enteritis virus in lymphoid organs

Duck enteritis virus (DEV), a herpesvirus, has been shown to cause lymphoid organ atrophy and immunosuppression in white Pekin ducklings. The cells th at support virus replication and could be important for immunosuppression w ere identified in this study. Lymphoid organs of white Pekin ducks infected at 2 weeks of age were collected at 3, 6, 8 and 10 days post-inoculation ( d.p.i.). Frozen sections were double-stained for DEV-infected (DEV+) and ep ithelial cells, DEV+ and CD3(+) cells or DEV+ and B cells. DEV antigen was detected in the spleen, thymus and bursa for 3, 6 and 8 d.p.i., respectivel y. DEV antigen was demonstrated in epithelial cells of all examined lymphoi d organs. B cells were irreversibly depleted from bursa; however, the deple tion in the spleen was only for 8 d.p.i. Depletion of CD3(+) cells was only observed in the thymus. These data show that the target cells for DEV are epithelial and B cells.