IFNB1 and infection: Non-human primate studies with simian immunodeficiency virus indicate that transmission in the female genital tract (FGT) involves establishment of an initial focus of infections or ‘founder population’ in the first hours after viral exposure and increased secretion of IFN-α, IFN-β, macrophage inflammatory protein 1α (MIP-1α), MIP-1β, MIP-3α, and IL-8 [7,8].