Rotavirus strategies to evade host antiviral innate immunity

Virus infection initiates the host antiviral innate immune response. Paradoxically, viruses can adopt several strategies to evade or subvert host innate immunity to ensure their survival. This mechanism is a significant consideration in the development of an attenuated vaccine and in the basic research of host-virus interaction. Rotavirus is the main cause of gastroenteritis in infants,and leads to approximately 500,000 deaths annually, mainly in developing countries. The strategies that the rotavirus adopts to evade host antiviral innate immunity are summarized in this review. (C) 2009 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.