Peptide inhibition of human cytomegalovirus infection

Melnik, Lilia I; Garry, Robert F; Morris, Cindy A

Human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) is a ubiquitous opportunistic pathogen that belongs to the Betaherpesviridae. The virulence of this pathogen is directly linked to the immune status of its host. Primary HCMV infection is generally asymptomatic in immunocompetent individuals, although it causes a mononucleosis-like syndrome in some. After primary HCMV infection, the virus establishes lifelong latency and periodically reactivates with notable pathological consequences. In contrast, HCMV infection in immunocompromised patients such as AIDS patients and solid organ and allogeneic stem cell transplantation recipients causes serious disease [1] . Primary infection of women during or right before pregnancy with HCMV is the most common cause of congenital viral infection leading to significant morbidity and mortality. Congenital HCMV infection is also associated with spontaneous abortion, premature delivery, intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR), and pre-eclampsia. The risk of primary infection in a seronegative mother is 1 to 4%, which carries a 30 to 40% risk of congenital infection [2, 3] . The majority of congenitally infected babies are asymptomatic at birth; however, 10 to 17% subsequently develop hearing defects or neurodevelopmental sequelae [4] . Although the most serious clinical sequelae are seen in cases where a mother acquires a primary infection during pregnancy, downstream side effects are also seen in cases where latent HCMV is reactivated [5] and where a mother is reinfected with a different strain of the virus [6] .