Novel Immunological Aspects of CMV-Related Diseases

This special issue contains contributions by leading scientists and clinicians in the field of CMV, who participated in the 2nd Symposium on CMV-Related Immunopathology, held in Maastricht, Netherlands, in September 1999. Recent research has shown that cytomegalovirus manipulates the immune system in an obviously 'intelligent' way to promote virus persistence, replication and dissemination. This manipulation leads to aberrant host immune responses and to disease in immunocompromised persons such as transplant recipients or AIDS patients. However, there is growing evidence that CMV-related immunopathomechanisms may also be of significance in adult non-immunocompromised people, even in the absence of detectable viremia. Reflecting and interpreting the most up-to-date information available on CMV-related immunopathology and anti-CMV therapy, this publication will be of vital interest for clinicians involved in the diagnosis and treatment of CMV infections as well as for researchers working on herpesvirus biology and the development of antiviral drugs.