Human cytomegalovirus glycoprotein N genotypes in AIDS patients

Human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) clinical isolates display genetic polymorphisms that are supposed to be implicated in HCMV-induced immunopathogenesis. Open reading frame UL73, encoding for the envelope glycoprotein N, shows four distinct genomic variants (gN-1, 2, 3, 4). This report analysed the distribution of glycoprotein N genotypes in 29 AIDS patients and 50 solid-organ transplant recipients compared with 111 immunocompetent individuals. HIV patients exhibited a prevalence of HCMV strains with the gN-1 genotype, which seem to replicate favourably in immunocompromised hosts.