PERSISTENT VIRUS-INFECTIONS - MECHANISMS AND CONSEQUENCES

The establishment of persistent virus infections can be regarded as ev olutionary mechanisms to protect viruses against the host immune react ions and to enable the perpetuation of virus infections. In principle, persistent or latent virus infections are known among most species of all virus families. Among the different strategies which envolved dur ing virus infections, three mechanisms leading to persistent or latent infections are chosen and discussed in greater detail in this review: Masking of critical epitopes and apparent lack of neutralizing antibo dy by Aleutian Disease Parvovirus Integration of viral genome by retro viruses and spongiform encephalopathies caused by unconventional agent s/viruses, such as BSE and scrapie.