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Human Cytomegalovirus: Recent Aspects from Molecular Biology

Institut für Klinische und Molekulare Virologie der Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, D-8520 Erlangen, F.R.G.

Introduction. Human cytomegalovirus (HCMV), a member of the herpesvirus group, is a common agent of worldwide occurrence. About 50 to 80% of the adult population in Central Europe or North America are infected with HCMV (Onorato et al., 1985). Primary infections of children or adults usually remain without overt disease. Subsequent to initial infection, HCMV persists in the organism; the virus may be reactivated under conditions of immunosuppression, sometimes resulting in severe illness. HCMV can be transmitted by close personal contact and by blood transfusion (Adler, 1983) or organ transplantation (Pass et al., 1983). HCMV is frequently transmitted from mother to child, either in utero or during the perinatal phase (Dworsky et al., 1983). Prenatal transmission often results in severe disturbance of development and disease that may become manifest at birth, such as thrombocytopaenia, hepatitis, splenomegaly and microcephaly (Stagno & Witley, 1985). Frequent late sequelae are hearing loss and mental retardation (Pass et al., 1980).

Keywords: HCMV, molecular biology, herpesviruses