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 that support virus replication and could be important for immunosuppression were 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 epithelial 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., respectively. DEV antigen was demonstrated in epithelial cells of all examined lymphoid organs. B cells were irreversibly depleted from bursa; however, the depletion 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.