Cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTL) seem to provide the major line of defence against many viruses. CTL effector functions are mediated primarily by cells carrying the CD8 (Ly-2) antigen (CD8⁺ cells) and are triggered by interactions of the T-cell receptor with an antigenic complex, often termed 'self plus X', composed of viral determinants in association with class I molecules of the major histocompatibility complex (MHC). The mechanism(s) of induc-tion of virus-specific CTLin vivo is poorly understood, but data from in vitro experiments suggest that their generation is strictly dependent on functions provided by CD4⁺ helper T cells (also referred to as L3T4⁺; or T_H) that respond to antigens in the context of class II (Ia) MHC determinants^1–3. The prevailing opinion that induction of most functions of CD8⁺ cells requires help provided by CD4⁺ cells has recently been challenged by the observation that CD8⁺ cells alone can mediate a variety of responses to alloantigens in vitro and in vivo^4–7; however, the possibility that CTL to self plus X could be generated in vivo in the absence of T_H cells has not been evaluated. We report here that C57BL/6J (B6) and AKR/J mice, when functionally depleted of CD4⁺ cells by in vivo treatment with the CD4⁺-specific rat monoclonal antibody GK1.5 (refs 8–14) responded to ectromelia virus infection^15–18 by developing an optimal in vivo virus-specific CTL response^19–23, and subsequently recovered from the disease (mousepox) that was lethal for similarly infected nude mice (CD4⁻, CD8⁻).