Revisiting the concept of a cytopathic viral infection

The outcome of a viral infection with respect to cellular fate is a fundamental aspect of viral biology. Different virus families have vastly different interactions with their host cells, but they have long been broadly grouped as causing either persistent or cytopathic infections. Persistent infections are established through a variety of mechanisms, but all result in a long-term infection of the host cell. Other viruses cause a lytic (or cytopathic) infection that leads to cellular death shortly after viral infection. But what if cellular death was not the only outcome of a cytopathic viral infection? What if additional cell fates not only occurred but also were important for viral pathogenesis? The focus of this review will be on the evidence for cellular survival after cytopathic virus infections and the importance of these uncharacterized cell populations.