IFI16 protein has a short half-life of approximately 150 min in fibroblasts (77), and therefore, incoming US28 protein may rapidly target IFI16 transcription in latently infected monocytes, as it does in US28-expressing THP-1 cells, resulting in loss of IFI16 within 24 h of infection; this is then maintained by subsequent latency-associated de novo US28 expression. The gene discussed is IFI16; the disease is infection.