The first analysis of the contribution of pDCs to IFN production during viral infections in vivo was carried out in mice that were intraperitoneally injected with two natural rodent pathogens, Mouse Cytomegalovirus (MCMV) or lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus (LCMV) [16, 71], leading to acute systemic infections (Table 3). Here, IFNA1 is linked to viral infectious disease.