In human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-infected individuals, higher levels of anti-cytomegalovirus (CMV) immunoglobulin G (IgG) antibody have been associated with increased immune activation, increased HIV transmission, cardiovascular complications, and neurocognitive impairment. However, the mechanism of these observations is unknown. This analysis of 228 HIV-infected men found that higher CMV IgG levels were positively associated with older age and antiretroviral treatment. Higher frequency of detectable CMV in peripheral blood mononuclear cells and recurrent seminal CMV reactivations were associated with lower plasma CMV IgG levels, suggesting that immune response to CMV rather than direct effect of viral replication is likely responsible for adverse clinical outcome observed in other studies.
Keywords: CMV IgG; CMV replication; HIV infection; immune response.