Abstract

Cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection is ubiquitous and is
one of the most common viral infections of humans. It
belongs to the ‘herpes’ family of viruses and encodes over
160 proteins, many of which have immunomodulatory
functions. CMV infection can be acquired at any age,
and most initial infections go unnoticed, although some
individuals develop ‘glandular fever’-like symptoms,
which usually resolve (Mocarski et al. 2007). Like all
herpesvirus infections, once a person acquires primary
infection, CMV remains in a latent viable form within
the body from which it may periodically reactivate under
circumstances of immunosuppression. CMV causes two
well-established serious clinical problems that are of
major public health importance worldwide: (i) congenital
CMV infections due to primary maternal CMV infection
subsequently transmitted in utero or through breast milk
or saliva up to 3 weeks post-partum and (ii) multisystem
disease in immunosuppressed patients (Mocarski et al.
2007).