Measles virus-specific T-cell immunity in rodent models

Measles virus (MV) infection still belongs to the most important infectious diseases world wide. To identify the components of the immune system that combat MV infection, infection models in rodents have been established. In rats and mice, the immune response to experimental MV infection is governed by the major histocombatibility complex (MHC). According to the MHC haplotype, the functional composition of the T-cell subsets determines the degree of susceptibility to experimental measles virus infection. CD4(+) T-cells are the most important T-cell subset in combating experimental MV infection in rodents. However, the mechanism of action still remains to be elucidated.