Figure 3.

Induction of hypercytokinemia by H5N1 influenza viruses results from an imbalanced innate immune response. H5N1 influenza viruses are able to dysregulate the innate immune response, either by inducing high production of cytokines or by inhibiting the antiviral response. The evasion of the innate immunity might have as a consequence increased levels of viral replication, which contributes to increased PAMPs detection and cytokine induction. A combination of these events in vivo might explain how H5N1 innate immunity antagonists contribute to hypercytokinemia development in humans.