Electron microscopy with particular reference to apoptosis in the bursa of fabricius of IBDV infected chicks

Infectious bursal disease virus (IBDV) has been reported to induce heterophillic infiltration, besides causing necrobiotic changes in the bursa of Fabricius (B F) in the affected chicks. Electron microscopic studies presented in the communication describes the association of apoptotic changes in the B F showing negligible cellular response than in those having widely distributed heterophillic infiltration, lymphocytolysis and other necrobiotic lesions in the experimentally infected chicks with IBDV. This would help in explaining the lesions of IBDV infection in the absence of cellular infiltration in the B F of the affected chicks.