Role of the bursa of Fabricius in the pathogenicity of inclusion body hepatitis and infectious bursal disease viruses.

Chickens were chemically bursectomized with cyclophosphamide at 3 days old, and studies made of the effects of infection by inclusion body hepatitis virus (IBHV) and infectious bursal disease virus. In another experiment, 3-week-old chickens were infected with infectious bursal disease virus before inoculation with IBHV. Interference with the bursa of Fabricius by cyclophosphamide or by infectious bursal disease virus enhanced the pathogenicity of IBHV. In contrast, cyclophosphamide effects on the bursa protected chickens against infectious bursal disease.