Viral persistence refers to the ability of certain viruses to establish long-term infections within a host organism, often evading or escaping the immune response. This can lead to chronic or recurring infections that can have significant impacts on the health and wellbeing of the host. Research in viral persistence aims to understand the mechanisms by which viruses are able to persist within the host, as well as strategies to prevent or eliminate these persistent infections. This research area is important for developing new treatments and vaccines for chronic viral infections such as hepatitis B and C, HIV, and herpesviruses.