Microelement selenium (Se) is indispensable to the normal life activities of human body as Se has the properties of anti-oxidation, anti-neoplastic and anti-heavy metals, and it can not only participate in regulating the immune response and hormone level of the body, but also can inhibit the replication of many kinds of viruses. Excessive or inadequate intake of Se will result in corresponding diseases. Selenium deficiency is common in China due to the uneven distribution of selenium in nature, and supplementation of Se appropriately and effectively is vital to build national health. This paper systematically summarized the antiviral effects of Se in several typical animal viruses based on the latest international and domestic research data to provide a theoretical reference for the study on the antiviral effects of Se and lay the foundation for developing and popularizing Se products including Se-enriched foods, organoselenium drugs, Se-enriched health products and so on.