Chemokines encoded by herpesviruses

Review on viral chemokine homologues identified in Herpesviridae family, their implications in viral pathogenesis and leukocyte migration, and their potential clinical applications. Viruses use diverse strategies to elude the immune system, including copying and repurposing host cytokine and cytokine receptor genes. For herpesviruses, the chemokine system of chemotactic cytokines and receptors is a common source of copied genes. Here, we review the current state of knowledge about herpesvirus‐encoded chemokines and discuss their possible roles in viral pathogenesis, as well as their clinical potential as novel anti‐inflammatory agents or targets for new antiviral strategies.