Infectious bursal disease virus' interferences with host immune cells: what do we know?

Infectious bursal disease virus (IBDV) induces one of the most important immunosuppressive diseases in chickens leading to high economic losses due to increased mortality and condemnation rates, secondary infections and the need for antibiotic treatment. Over 400 publications have been listed on PubMed.gov in the last 5 years pointing out the research interest in this disease and the development of improved preventive measures. While B cells are the main target cells of the virus, other immune and non-immune cell populations are also affected, leading to a multifaceted impact on the normally well-orchestrated immune system in IBDV-infected birds. Recent studies clearly revealed the contribution of innate immune cells as well as T cells to a cytokine storm and subsequent death of affected birds in the acute phase of the disease. Transcriptomics identified differential regulation of immune-related genes between different chicken genotypes as well as virus strains, which may be associated with a variable disease outcome. The recent availability of primary B cell culture systems allowed a closer look into virus-host interactions during IBDV infection. The new emerging field of research with transgenic chickens will also open up new opportunities to understand the impact of IBDV on the host under in vivo conditions, which will help to understand the complex virus-host interactions further.