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Living with the enemy: viral persistent infections from a friendly viewpoint
Bertsy Goic1, Maria-Carla Saleh
1Institut Pasteur, Viruses and RNA Interference, CNRS URA 3015, F-75015 Paris, France.
Current Opinion in Microbiology
|July 10, 2012
Summary
Viral persistence, where pathogens and hosts coexist, is explored through
Area of Science:
- * Virology and Host-Pathogen Interactions.
- * Evolutionary Biology and Ecology.
Background:
- * Persistent infections represent a metastable state of coexistence between pathogen and host.
- * This phenomenon is common in viral infections across all biological kingdoms.
- * Persistent infections can modulate ecosystems, benefiting host or virus populations.
Purpose of the Study:
- * To explore the concept of 'endogenization' of viral sequences as a mechanism for persistent infections.
- * To investigate the role of concomitant activation of host immune pathways in viral persistence.
- * To discuss current concepts on viral persistence mechanisms and their biological significance.
Main Methods:
- * Conceptual exploration of viral 'endogenization'.
- * Analysis of host immune pathway activation in persistent infections.
- * Review and discussion of existing literature on viral persistence.
Main Results:
- * Proposes 'endogenization' of viral sequences coupled with host immune activation as a key mechanism for establishing and maintaining viral persistence.
- * Highlights the ecological role of persistent infections as ecosystem modulators.
- * Discusses the evolutionary advantage of viral persistence for both virus and host.
Conclusions:
- * Viral sequence endogenization and host immune activation are central to persistent infections.
- * Persistent infections play a significant role in ecological dynamics.
- * Understanding these mechanisms is crucial for managing persistent viral diseases.
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