Cytomegalovirus (CMV) is a β-herpesvirus that infects the majority of people in the world. It lies dormant in the body, waiting for an opportunity to strike when the immune system is weakened. This persistent virus infects people for their entire lives, and now researchers have discovered how the virus spreads, opening the door to ways to destroy it.

What is cytomegalovirus?

CMV is part of the β-subfamily of herpesviruses, which are believed to have been co-evolving with their hosts for around 180 million years [1]. CMV infection is asymptomatic; this means it causes no symptoms and is a latent infection; in other words, it lies dormant in the cell, awaiting activation under certain conditions [2].

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