Abstract

Vertebrates possess a surveillance mechanism, called the immune system, that protects them from disease - causing (pathogenic) microorganisms such as bacteria, viruses, form parasites and from cancer cells. Some viruses are regularly lethal for particular host species; other regularly establish persistent infections, often for life. At other times the immune response fails to eliminate the virus. This review is an update on the role of the immune response in recovery from viral infection and resistance to reinfection. The features are surveyed of modern immunology as relevant to virology.