Cytokines in viral diseases.

As in many other areas of cytokine biology, recent studies of the role of cytokines in viral disease reveal numerous complex interactions that in many instances may contribute directly to the development of pathology. For example, data from the rapidly evolving field of human retrovirology has shown that these viruses, as well as inducing the expression of many cellular cytokine genes, can be activated from latency and driven into replication/expression by the very same cytokines. The continuing rapid expansion of knowledge in the cytokine area augers well for eventual development of novel antiviral therapeutic strategies based on manipulation of the cytokine network.