Responses of Specific-Pathogen-Free Chicks to Concomitant Infections of Reovirus (WVU-2937) and Infectious Bursal Disease Virus

Specific-pathogen-free white leghorn chicks concomitantly infected with both infectious bursal disease virus (IBDV) and reovirus (WVU-2937) on day 1 had significantly lower (P < 0.05) virus-neutralizing- and precipitating-antibody geometric mean titers (GMT) to reovirus than chicks infected with only reovirus on day 1 but had a similar incidence of inflammation of the metatarsal digital flexor tendons. Chicks infected with IBDV on day 7 and reovirus on day 14 had a greater incidence of inflammation of the tarsometatarsal digital flexor tendons and lower neutralizing- and precipitating-antibody GMT to reovirus than chicks infected with only reovirus on day 14. Chicks infected with both viruses on day 1 had a significantly lower (P < 0.05) neutralizing-antibody GMT to IBDV than chicks infected with only IBDV.