Cytomegalovirus represents the most predictable and problematical infection after bone marrow transplantation, with approximately 70 per cent of patients experiencing viral reactivation. Although most transplant centres have adopted strict monitoring, pre-emptive antiviral therapies and prophylactic strategies to prevent CMV disease, these approaches still have a number of shortcomings.
We developed the first bona fide preclinical models to study the effects of bone marrow transplantation on the immunological control of CMV. Using these unique models, we have defined several immune parameters that are critical for preventing CMV disease. Our ongoing research is aimed at determining how anti-viral immune responses can be harnessed to improve the control CMV infection in transplant recipients.
