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• MAIT cells possess antimicrobial characteristics against viral or bacterial pathogens. • MAIT cells decrease in number and function during viral or bacterial diseases. • MAIT cells are rapidly recruited and accumulate in lungs during infections. • MAIT cells may offer an attractive target for vaccination against infectious diseases. Mucosal-associated invariant T (MAIT) cells are subsets of T cells abundant in human mucosal tissues and in blood. These cells are activated directly by cytokines or by vitamin B metabolites antigen presentation. MAIT cells possess antimicrobial potential against viruses and bacteria through production of cytokines and cytotoxic molecules. MAIT cells generally reduce in numbers and function during viral and bacterial infections/diseases. Mice and humans lacking MAIT cells cannot effectively control bacterial infections. MAIT cells respond rapidly to infections and are rapidly recruited to the site of vaccination or infection including the lungs where they can be involved in controlling local inflammation. These characteristics of MAIT cells offer them a unique potential to be explored as potential targets for vaccines. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]