How does cytomegalovirus affect the immune system?
CMV activates many arms of the immune system, and together with its modulatory strategies results in a major impact on its homeostasis.
How does cytomegalovirus affect cells?
The virus infects epithelial cells, macrophages, and T lymphocytes. Epithelial cells when infected by CMV produce more virus. CMV is highly cell-associated and causes cells to coalesce to form large cells. The close cell interaction protects the virus from antibody inactivation.
What is one of the major concerns associated with cytomegalovirus?
Complications of CMV infection can include: Vision loss, due to inflammation of the light-sensing layer of the eye (retinitis) Digestive system problems, including inflammation of the colon (colitis), esophagus (esophagitis) and liver (hepatitis) Nervous system problems, including brain inflammation (encephalitis)
What cells does cytomegalovirus infect?
The human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) can infect a remarkably broad cell range within its host, including parenchymal cells and connective tissue cells of virtually any organ and various hematopoietic cell types.
Is CMV an autoimmune disease?
Human CMV, a ubiquitous beta-herpes virus, has been reported to be associated with several autoimmune diseases (27–29).
What does human cytomegalovirus cause?
Occasionally, CMV can cause mononucleosis or hepatitis (liver problem). People with weakened immune systems who get CMV can have more serious symptoms affecting the eyes, lungs, liver, esophagus, stomach, and intestines. Babies born with CMV can have brain, liver, spleen, lung, and growth problems.
How is CMV treated?
Treatment of CMV Infection Mild cytomegalovirus infection is usually not treated. It subsides on its own. When the infection threatens life or eyesight, an antiviral drug (valganciclovir, ganciclovir, cidofovir, foscarnet, or a combination) may be given. These drugs may be given by mouth or by vein.
Is CMV related to HPV?
Human papillomavirus (HPV) and cytomegalovirus (CMV) are DNA viruses that cause serious health conditions in patients of all ages. HPV is one of the most common sexually transmitted viruses causing genital infections and cancers. CMV is an opportunistic pathogen affecting immunocompromised patients.
What are the long-term effects of cytomegalovirus?
CMV is the most common congenital infection in the U.S. Most infants will have no permanent health consequences, but a small number will have at birth or will develop long-term neurological conditions, such as hearing loss, visual impairment, seizures, or disabilities f mental or physical function.
How does the immune system respond to cytomegalovirus?
The immune response to cytomegalovirus Extracellular and intracellular pathogen recognition receptors, such as Toll-like Receptors (TLRs), recognise components of the virion, which triggers the innate immune response to the virus.
Can a person be pregnant if they have cytomegalovirus?
Cytomegalovirus (CMV) is a common virus. Once infected, your body retains the virus for life. Most people don’t know they have CMV because it rarely causes problems in healthy people. If you’re pregnant or if your immune system is weakened, CMV is cause for concern.
Is there a cure for cytomegalovirus ( CMV )?
There’s no cure for CMV. The virus stays inactive in your body and can cause more problems later. This reactivation is most common in people who’ve had stem cell and organ transplants. Your outlook depends on your overall health. In people who have strong immune systems, CMV symptoms almost always go away on their own.
How does the immune system respond to a virus?
Extracellular and intracellular pathogen recognition receptors, such as Toll-like Receptors (TLRs), recognise components of the virion, which triggers the innate immune response to the virus. This leads to the production of inflammatory cytokines, such as type 1 interferons (IFN), tumour necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α) and interleukin-6 (IL-6).
