Although only three mice with long-term chronic infection were available for the analysis, the presence of severe liver diseases in all these mice compared to the age-sex matched RHV cleared mice, together with the detection of high-frequencies of virus-specific CD8 T cells in the diseased livers indicate that this model can be used to define the role of virus-specific T cells in hepacivirus immunopathogenesis. The gene discussed is CD8A; the disease is liver disorder.