CD8A and infection: The activation of MAIT cells by bacterial and viral pathogens suggest that thesecells could play a role in preventing the establishment of infection after exposureor preventing progression from infection to disease, in the case of TB, for example.BCG vaccination in non-human primates resulted in activation of MAIT cells in blood14- to 28-d post vaccination but conventional non-MAIT CD8+ T cells werenot activated.59 MAIT cells were also found to proliferate more, became more activated andexpressed higher granzyme B at the site of vaccination (chest) with BCG compared todistal site (thigh).