Abstract
This chapter reviews the mechanisms of Marek's disease virus (MDV)-induced immunosuppression and confounding factors—such as co-infection with chicken infectious anaemia virus (CIAV) and other viruses infecting lymphoid tissues. MDV infection may interfere with the proper immunological functions by several distinct mechanisms leading to immunosuppression. However, the interactions between virus replication and the immune response are very complex, and the mechanisms causing immunosuppression are not fully understood. Infection and subsequent replication of CIAV can influence the pathogenesis of MDV by preventing the development of MDV-specific cytotoxic T-cells. Immunosuppression can also be caused by the loss of lymphocytes as well as changes in the regulation of immune responses, cytokines, and tumor cells. Several viruses such as CIAV, infectious bursal disease virus, reticuloendotheliosis virus, and reovirus also act as confounding factors in MDV-induced immunosuppression. MDV vaccines have also been reported to cause mild immunosuppression. Future studies on the pathogenesis of MD must address the ways by which MDV-induced immunosuppression influences other diseases and the general performance of commercial birds as well as the ways to monitor MDV-induced immunosuppression in a more meaningful way.
Published Version
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