title: Longitudinal Kinetics of Cytomegalovirus-Specific T-Cell Immunity and Viral Replication in Infants With Congenital Cytomegalovirus Infection.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Congenital cytomegalovirus (CMV) is reported to affect up to 1% of all live births in the United States. T-cell immunity may be important for controlling CMV replication in congenital CMV-infected infants. We describe the natural history of CMV-specific T-cell evolution and CMV replication in infants with congenital CMV infection.
  
  
  METHODS
  Cytomegalovirus viral load, CMV urine culture, and CMV-specific CD4 and CD8 T-cell responses were assessed in a prospective longitudinal cohort of 51 infants with congenital CMV infection who were observed from birth to 3 years of age.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We found a kinetic pattern of decreasing urinary CMV replication and increasing CMV-specific CD4 and CD8 T-cell responses during the first 3 years of life. We also found higher CMV-specific CD8 T-cell responses were associated with subsequent reduction of urine CMV viral load.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  For infants with congenital CMV infection, our data suggest an age-related maturation of both CMV-specific CD4 and CD8 T-cell immunity that is associated with an age-related decline in urinary CMV replication.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics.
authors.forename: Sharon F
authors.initials: SF
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University School of Medicine, Palo Alto, California.
authors.forename: Tyson H
authors.initials: TH
authors.lastname: Holmes
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics.
authors.forename: Teri
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Slifer
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics.
authors.forename: Vasavi
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Ramachandran
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics.
authors.forename: Sally
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Mackey
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Santa Clara Valley Medical Center, San Jose, California.
authors.forename: Cathleen
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Hebson
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics.
authors.forename: Ann M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Arvin
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics.
authors.forename: David B
authors.initials: DB
authors.lastname: Lewis
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics.
authors.forename: Cornelia L
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: Dekker
mesh_terms: D015496:CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology* / Q000821:virology; D018414:CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology* / Q000821:virology; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003587:Cytomegalovirus / Q000276:immunology / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000502:physiology*; D003586:Cytomegalovirus Infections / Q000151:congenital / Q000276:immunology* / Q000652:urine / Q000821:virology*; D006801:Humans; D007109:Immunity; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D011446:Prospective Studies; D019562:Viral Load; D014779:Virus Replication; D017201:Virus Shedding
keywords: CMV-specific T cells; congenital CMV; PCR; T cells; kinetics