In mammalian cells, the host detects and responds to infection by RNA-viruses, including HCV, by primarily recognizing viral RNA through several distinct pathogen recognition receptors (PRRs), including the cell surface and endosomal RNA sensors Toll-like receptors 3 and 7 (TLR3 and TLR7), and the cytoplasmic RNA sensors retinoic acid-inducible gene I (RIG-I) and melanoma differentiation associated gene 5 (MDA5) [4]. The gene discussed is IFIH1; the disease is infection.