Pathological changes in chicks inoculated with the picornavirus "avian nephritis virus"

One-day-old chicks were inoculated intraperitoneally with a newly isolated picornavirus. The inoculated chicks showed no clinical signs until 28 days postinoculation (PI), but discoloration of the kidneys was recognized from 7 to 21 days PI at autopsy. Histologically, focal lesions were observed in the cortex of the kidneys from 3 to 21 days PI. The lesions were characterized by interstitial lymphocytic infiltration and degeneration of epithelial cells of the proximal convoluted tubules. The degenerated cells contained acidophilic granules in their cytoplasm. Electron-microscope examination of the cytoplasm revealed electron-dense amorphous areas, phagosomal areas with viral particles, and isolated crystal arrays of the virus particles, 23 to 30 nm in size. Granular antigen was also detected by fluorescent-antibody technique in the cells.