IFNA1 and cytomegalovirus infection: Given that the IFN response to infection is a swift anti-viral response set in motion by the first interactions between virion glycoproteins and cellular receptors, it is logical that HCMV encodes viral effectors that immediately antagonize these early anti-viral events, and downregulation of IFN signaling during HCMV infection is well-documented [23,24,25,26].