Innate Immune Evasion Strategies of HCV and HIV: Common Themes for Chronic Viral Infection

The infections caused by Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) and Hepatitis C Virus (HCV) rank as two of the most important public health problems worldwide. Hundreds of millions of people are infected with either HIV or HCV, and co’infection with both viruses represents a growing concern that dramatically complicates patient treatment and infection outcome. HCV and HIV are very different viruses but both cause chronic infection leading to lifelong and debilitating disease. Viral persistence in immune-competent hosts is supported by virus-directed innate immune-evasion programs that allow each virus to avoid the immediate host defenses designed to detect and clear pathogens from infected cells and tissues. Understanding the nature and mechanisms of these evasion strategies has the potential to uncover new targets for therapeutic intervention, as well as inform rational vaccine and adjuvant development aimed at protecting against infection by these devastating viruses.