This Memorandum describes recent scientific advances in the identification and characterization of cell receptors for viruses and their relevance to programmes for the prevention and control of viral diseases. These areas of anti-viral research provide an improved understanding of the mechanisms of viral pathogenesis and a rational basis for the development of anti-viral drugs, viral vaccines, and new diagnostic approaches and reagents. Advances in research to characterize the cellular receptors for human picornaviruses (including poliovirus, coxsackievirus and rhinovirus), influenza viruses, and reoviruses are reviewed.