Human TBK1 deficiency: An expanded spectrum from autoinflammation to viral encephalitis

J Hum Immun. 2026 Feb 10;2(2):e20250245. doi: 10.70962/jhi.20250245. eCollection 2026 Mar 2.

Abstract

Akalu et al. report new and long-term follow-up cases of human TBK1 deficiency, revealing that, beyond systemic autoinflammation, affected individuals are also vulnerable to severe viral encephalitis. Their findings highlight the dual nature of TBK1 deficiency-combining autoinflammatory disease with impaired antiviral defense-and emphasize the need for antiviral vigilance in care.