Lymphocyte Subpopulations and Apoptosis of Immune Cells in Rabbits Experimentally Infected with a Strain of the RHD Virus Having a Variable Haemagglutination Capacity

The paper describes the immunological response in the matter of percentage of T cells (receptor CD5+) and subpopulations (Th with receptor CD4+, Tc/Ts with receptor CD8+, T with receptor CD25+) and B cells with receptor CD19+, as well as the percentage of apoptotic granulocytes and lymphocytes, in rabbits experimentally infected with the Hagenow strain of the RHD virus. The material chosen for the experiment is special, as among all strains of RHD virus, there are only two strains which carry the variable haemagglutination capacity of red cells. The results of the study show that the Hagenow strain gives an untypical picture of T and B lymphocytes, whereas the results in inducing apoptosis seems to corespond with previous data, confirming the inclusion of apoptosis from 4 h p.i. and the intensity of the phenomenon being higher in granulocytes.