In vitro studies of hemorrhagic enteritis virus with immunofluorescent antibody technique.

Dissociated spleen lymphocytes from hemorrhagic enteritis virus (HEV)-free chickens, pheasants, and turkeys were infected with HEV in suspension cultures. Viral antigens were detected in cells of all three donor species by immunofluorescence. The age of chicken from which cells were obtained and the temperature of incubation influenced the development of viral antigens in cultured cells, which could be observed as early as 24 hr postinfection. This is the first time that HEV has been shown to infect cells in vitro.