Immunopathology in virus disease

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Abstract
Immunopathology contributes to almost all virus infections, and can be the cause of death. The formation of immune complexes in tissues induces inflammation. Circulating immune complexes are often harmless, but when deposited in tissues can lead to glomerulonephritis, arthritis and vasculitis. Classic examples are provided by certain persistent virus infections, in which antibody responses are of low affinity or directed against non-critical sites on the virus particles, and in which complexes are deposited over long periods. Cytotoxic T cells show powerful effectsin vitro, but have rarely been proved to cause serious tissue damagein vitro. Destruction of cells by antibody plus complement, by antibody and K cells or by NK cells plays an ill-defined role in viral pathology. Delayed hypersensitivity T cells are more obviously important in immunopathology, inducing inflammation, cell infiltration and macrophage-mediated damage. Viral immunopathology could be of major importance in certain chronic diseases of unknown aetiology if damaging autoimmune responses were triggered by virus infection. Possible mechanisms are discussed.