Cowdry bodies

Cowdry bodies are eosinophilic or basophilic ^[1] nuclear inclusions composed of nucleic acid and protein seen in cells infected with Herpes simplex virus, Varicella-zoster virus, and Cytomegalovirus. They are named after Edmund Cowdry.

There are two types of intranuclear Cowdry bodies:

• Type A (as seen in herpes simplex and VZV) ^[2]
• Type B (as seen in infection with poliovirus and CMV), though it may seem that this is an antiquated and perhaps illusory type. ^[3]

Light microscopy is used for detection of Cowdry bodies.

References

1. "Cytomegalovirus (CMV) colitis". www.pathologyoutlines.com. Retrieved 2019-04-11.
2. "Herpes Group (Cytomegalovirus, Herpes simplex, Varicella/Zoster, Epstein-Barr)" . Retrieved 2009-01-02.
3. "Neuropathology blog: Whither the Illusory Cowdry B Inclusion of Polio?". 13 November 2008.