[The interferon system in ducks infected with viral hepatitis B]. / Sistema interferon u utok pri virusnom gepatite B.

The duck peripheral blood lymphocytes and spleen cells were shown to be relatively resistant to interferon induction by viral (NDV) and nonviral (dsRNA) inducers as well as to Con A induction of gamma-interferon. The concentration of the inducers had to be increased 4-5-fold to induce interferon production. Charry valley ducks produced more alpha-interferon than Peking ducks. The level of interferon production induced by NDV and dsRNA (Ridostin) was similar in DHBV-positive Peking ducks and in the control group, but in the infected Charry valley ducks interferon production was lower than in the controls (224 to 180 U/0.1 ml in NDV-induced and from 192 to 43.3 U/0.1 ml in dsRNA-induced). Early bursectomy brought down the interferon production in non-infected ducts, but in DHBV-positive bursectomized ducks (Y) the level of interferon was higher than in the control bursectomized ducks.