Beneficial and detrimental functions of microglia during viral encephalitis

Microglia are resident immune cells of the central nervous system (CNS) with multiple functions in health and disease. Their response during encephalitis de-pends on whether inflammation is triggered in a sterile or infectious manner, and in the latter case on the type of the infecting pathogen. Even though recent tech-nological innovations advanced the understanding of the broad spectrum of mi-croglia responses during viral encephalitis (VE), it is not entirely clear which microglia gene expression profiles are associated with antiviral and detrimental activities. Here, we review novel approaches to study microglia and the latest concepts of their function in VE. Improved understanding of microglial functions will be essential for the development of new therapeutic interventions for VE.

Automated summary

Microglia are immune cells in the central nervous system that play multiple roles in health and disease. Understanding their gene expression profiles and functions during viral encephalitis is crucial for the development of new therapeutic interventions.