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Recent advances in measuring T-cell responses to viruses have led to new insights into how these T cells respond. In the acute infection there are massive CD8+ T-cell responses to both Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) and to human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). Many of these T cells are effector cells and only a minority appear to be capable of maintaining immunological memory. In persistent virus infections, high levels of antigen-specific effector cells persist. If virus does not persist, the effectors fade in number but memory is maintained and is primed to react rapidly to a new challenge. A vaccine that stimulates only T-cell responses may protect when these memory cells respond rapidly enough to generate high numbers of ejectors before the infecting virus becomes established.

Original publication

DOI

10.1098/rstb.2000.0637

Type

Journal article

Journal

Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences

Publication Date

29/08/2000

Volume

355

Pages

1007 - 1011