CD8A and infection: The timing of the second, rapid viral decay phase coincides with the expansion of CD8+ T cells, which are the primary cell responsible for clearing infected cells and resolving the infection (Zhang and Bevan, 2011; Chen et al., 2018; McMichael et al., 1983; La Gruta and Turner, 2014; Kreijtz et al., 2011), and, to a lesser extent, neutralizing antibodies (Chen et al., 2018; Kreijtz et al., 2011; Fang and Sigal, 2005; Wang et al., 2015; McMichael et al., 1983) and cytotoxic CD4+ T cells (Wilkinson et al., 2012).