What is cowdry bodies?

Cowdry bodies are nuclear inclusions that are found in the cells of individuals infected with certain viruses, particularly herpesviridae. They are named after pathologist Dr. Edmund V. Cowdry who first described them.

These bodies are round, pink or purple inclusions that can be seen under a microscope in infected cells. They are composed of viral particles, cell fragments, and other cellular debris. Cowdry bodies are typically found in the nucleus of infected cells, but may also be present in the cytoplasm.

The presence of Cowdry bodies in a cell can help indicate a viral infection, although they are not specific to any one virus and can be seen in infections caused by various viruses including herpes simplex virus, varicella-zoster virus, and cytomegalovirus.

Overall, Cowdry bodies are a histological indicator of viral infection and can be used by pathologists to help diagnose and differentiate between different viral infections.