ABSTRACT The pathogenesis of the neurotropic strain of mouse hepatitis virus in Fas-deficient mice suggested that Fas-mediated cytotoxicity may be required during viral clearance after the loss of perforin-mediated cytotoxicity. The absence of both Fas- and perforin-mediated cytolysis resulted in an uncontrolled infection, suggesting a redundancy of cytolytic pathways to control virus replication.