Innate Immune System Dynamics to Influenza Virus

The understanding of how influenza virus infection activates the immune system is crucial to designing prophylactic and therapeutic strategies against the infection. Nevertheless, the immune response to influenza virus infection is complex and remains largely unknown. In this paper we focus in the innate immune response to influenza virus using a mathematical model, based on interferon-induced resistance to infection of respiratory epithelial cells and the clearance of infected cells by natural killers. Simulation results show the importance of IFN-I to prevent new infections in epithelial cells and to stop the viral explosion during the first two days after infection. Nevertheless, natural killers response might be the most relevant for the first depletion in viral load due to the elimination of infected cells. Based on the reproductive number, the innate immune response is important to control the infection, although it would not be enough to clear completely the virus. The effective coordination between innate and adaptive immune response is essential for the virus eradication.