from Philipe A.M. Gobeil and David A. Leib writing in Alphaherpesviruses: Molecular Virology:

Autophagy is a rapidly growing area of biomedical research with broad relevance to fields including microbiology, cell biology, immunology, cancer biology, and neurodegeneration. In infection and immunity, it is emerging as a pivotal pathway mediating direct pathogen degradation as well as for the development of robust innate and adaptive immune responses. Successful pathogens have evolved to either evade or harness the autophagy pathway to further their replication and pathogenesis. In a recent review the basic aspects of autophagy will be described, along with its role in cellular homeostasis, and the development of immunity. The primary focus is a survey of past and recent research defining the interplay of autophagy and the herpesviruses, with particular reference to immune evasion and pathogenesis.

Further reading: Alphaherpesviruses: Molecular Virology

Key words: Autophagy | Infection and immunity | Autophagy and the herpesviruses