Cytomegalovirus in Renal Transplantation

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Abstract
CMV is a member of the genus Herpesvirus and belongs to the family Herpesviridae (4). There are eight known human herpes viruses (HHV; Table 1). The HHV are divided further into three subfamilies: the α-herpesvirinae, the β-herpesvirinae, and the γ-herpesvirinae. The α-herpesvirinae include human simplex viruses (HSV) 1 and 2 and varicella zoster virus. The β-herpesvirinae include CMV, HHV-6, and HHV-7. The γ-herpesvirinae include Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) and HHV-8. Morphologically. the herpes viruses are indistinguishable from one another. The complete virion is 150 to 200 nm in diameter and icosahedral in shape and consists of an inner core, a capsid, and an envelope (Figure 1). The inner core (genome) of the CMV virus is a 64-nm linear double-stranded DNA molecule. There is little genetic homology between human CMV and CMV of other species. The capsid is 110 nm in diameter and consists of 162 protein capsomers. The envelope contains lipoproteins and at least 33 structural proteins, some of which are glycosylated (glycoproteins). The glycoproteins determine the strain of CMV, are used for cellular entry of the virus, and are the targets of virus-neutralizing antibody.

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