Cytomegalovirus Reinfections in Healthy Seroimmune Women

Abstract

CMV reinfections have been associated with damaging congenital infection and adverse outcomes in transplant recipients. To determine the frequency and risk factors for CMV reinfections, 205 seropositive women were followed prospectively. The appearance of new antibody specificity against one of four polymorphic epitopes was considered as evidence of CMV reinfection. About a third of study women (29%) were noted to have CMV reinfection during follow-up. None of the exposures were associated with CMV reinfection. Women with antibodies against ≥1 of the four antigens at baseline had a 63% decreased risk of reinfection suggesting a protective role for strain-specific immunity.