It publishes research related to viruses and the prevention of viral infection (including vaccination, the use of antiviral agents, and gene therapy).

The journal was established in 2004 with Robert Garry (Tulane University) as founding editor-in-chief and has been edited by Linfa Wang since 2012.

[1] According to Mark 1:29–33 and Matthew 8:14–15, the mother-in-law of Simon Peter "lay sick" with a febrile illness.

The authors rule out that the woman was possessed by demons, and conclude that she was struck with influenza as "the fever retreated instantaneously.

This implies that the disease was probably not a severe acute bacterial infection (such as sepsis) or subacute endocarditis that would not resolved instantaneously" [sic].