Abstract:

【Objective】 To study the effect of single- and co-infection with REV and ALV-J on T lymphocytes bioactivities and histopathology in broiler chickens. 【Method】 Blood and spleen T lymphocytes bioactivities including lymphoproliferation responses and cytotoxicitic responses and pathological histopathology of spleen were detected in broiler chickens singl- or co-infected with REV and ALV-J at different days post inoculation, the viruses’ expression in infected broiler’s spleen were detected with immunofluorescence assay (IFA). 【Result】 The results indicate that, blood and spleen T lymphocytes proliferate responses and cytotoxicity in broilers infected with REV or/and ALV-J were inhibited in the whole observed period compared with controls, in the co-infected chickens they were inhibited more severely than in the single-infected. The histopathology of spleen in infected chickens at 17 and 37 days post inoculation indicated that cell interium increased, the numbers of lymphocytes decreased and the regrowth were destroyed or decreased, especially more significiant at 17dpi than at 37 dpi. The different numbers of virus were detected in spleen lymphocytes in REV-infected and/or ALV-J-infected chickens, respectively. In co-infected chickens’ spleen, both REV and ALV-J were detected and the total numbers of viruses were more than in chickens single-infected with REV or ALV-J. 【Conclusion】 It can be concluded that co-effect of REV and ALV-J can cause more immunosuppression on T lymphocytes bioactivities in broiler chickens than single-effect of ALV-J or REV, which contribute to the sever histopathology and the product of tumor cells. This will be helpful for understanding of the effect of co- or dulpti-infection with many viruses and control them in poultry.

Key words: REV')">REV, ALV-J, T lymphocytes bioactivities, histopathology, broiler chickens