Apoptosis plays an important role in pathogenesis of many viral infections. Infection of chicken with avian reovirus S1133 causes tissue injury related to virus-induced apoptosis. To determine whether avian reovirus (ARV) induced apoptosis in chicken tissues, six 3-week-old specific pathogen free White Leghorn chicks were inoculated with ARV S1133. Tissues were dual-labelled for the simultaneous detection of viral antigen containing and apoptotic cells. DNA laddering was detected in ARV-infected but not mock-infected chicken tissues. Dual-labelling assay revealed that the majority of antigen-expressing cells were not apoptotic. Surprisingly, some apoptotic but non-antigen-expressing cells were frequently located in the vicinity of antigen-expressing cells. Syncytium formation in ARV-infected chicken tissues undergoing apoptosis was apparent, suggesting a correlation between virus replication and apoptosis in chicken tissues.

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