Virus‐lymphocyte interactions

Abstract Several aspects of virus‐lymphocyte interactions have been reviewed. Some form of lymphocyte activation is required for the replication of viruses that infect the lymphocyte exogenously or are activated from proviral genetic information contained within the host cell genome. Other factors that help determine the outcome of virus–lymphocyte interaction include the population or even sub‐population of the infected lymphocytes and their state of differentiation. Such factors may determine whether a lymphocyte is killed, whether virus may persist within the lymphocyte, what type of functional alteration might occur, or whether a differentiated function, such as antibody formation, may be fixed and perpetuated. Activation of viruses from lymphocytes may have important implications in situations when there is heightened immunological activity such as the immunosuppressed state or in situations where T‐cell suppressor restraints are compromised as in systemic lupus erythematosus.