Unique influenza A  cross-reactive memory CD8 T-cell receptor repertoire has a potential to protect against EBV seroconversion

There is extensive direct evidence in murine viral challenge studies that heterologous immunity facilitated by cross-reactive CD8 T-cell responses can mediate either beneficial or detrimental effects.1 Studies defining the role of heterologous immunity during human viral infection are more challenging. A  classic example of protective heterologous immunity in humans is smallpox vaccination. Immunological memory to vaccinia virus (cowpox) protects against human smallpox (variola) infection. More recent studies have shown that children vaccinated with live measles virus or Bacille-Calmette-Guerin hav e unexpectedly lower susceptibility and decreased mortality to other pathogens than do nonvaccinated children and decreased atopic disease.
Source: Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology - Category: Allergy & Immunology Authors: Tags: Letter to the Editor Source Type: research