Early production of IFN‐α by gut pDC appears to be beneficial in HIV elite controllers77 but in chronic hepatitis, persistence may be promoted by attenuated pDC responses and pDC‐mediated induction of T‐cell tolerance.78, 79 There is scope for more detailed analysis of the role of pDC in viral infections and even more so for bacterial and fungal pathogens. This evidence concerns the gene PDC and viral infectious disease.