Microglial cells protect against viruses causing Japanese and West Nile encephalitis

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West Nile virus (WNV) is the most important cause of acute viral encephalitis in the United States in many years and Japanese encephalitis virus (JEV) is the most important cause of encephalitis worldwide. We have a effective JEV vaccine that can help prevent disease and similarly have effective horse WNV vaccines but no therapy for either infection once disease develops. Understanding how the host protects itself against these infections may help us develop better treatment and prevention approaches.

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