IFNA1 and influenza: The viral immune response against influenza is well characterised (3), it involves the innate immune system [e.g. macrophages, granulocytes and dendritic cells, which release proinflammatory cytokines and type I interferons (IFN)] to inhibit viral replication, recruit other immune cells to the site of infection, and stimulate the adaptive immune response which consists of a humoral and a cellular mediated immunity, initiated principally by virus-specific antibodies and T cells.