Viral respiratory infections are a common cause of severe disease, especially in infants,
people who are immunocompromised, and in the elderly. Neutrophils, an important innate
immune cell, infiltrate the lungs rapidly after an inflammatory insult. The most well-
characterized effector mechanisms by which neutrophils contribute to host defense are
largely extracellular and the involvement of neutrophils in protection from numerous
bacterial and fungal infections is well established. However, the role of neutrophils in …