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Herpesviruses might have benefits

Viral infections give mice an immunity boost.

The herpesviruses bring untold suffering, but may not be all bad. Chronic latent infection with specific viral strains protects mice against some bacterial infections, a Nature study reveals this week.

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Posted by Nicola Jones on May 16, 2007 06:00 PM |

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"Herpesviruses descended from a strain that once infected a common ancestor of mammals, birds and reptiles. So animals and passenger herpesviruses have had more than 100 million years to co-evolve."

More than 300 million years. 320? 330?

Posted by: David Marjanović | May 21, 2007 06:47 PM

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