Innate immune evasion by hepatitis C virus and West Nile virus

Antiviral immunity in mammals involves several levels of surveillance and effector actions by host factors to detect viral pathogens, trigger α/β interferon production, and to mediate innate defenses within infected cells. Our studies have focused on understanding how these processes are regulated during infection by hepatitis C virus (HCV) and West Nile virus (WNV). Both viruses are members of the Flaviviridae and are human pathogens, but they each mediate a very different disease and course of infection. Our results demonstrate common and unique innate immune interactions of each virus that govern antiviral immunity and demonstrate the central role of α/β interferon immune defenses in controlling the outcome of infection.