Cytomegalovirus vaccine strategies

Background: Many patients are at high risk for serious disease caused by human cytomegalovirus (HCMV). These include solid organ and hematopoietic stem cell transplant patients, individuals with HIV infection, and newborn infants, who typically acquire the infection in utero, most commonly via transplacental transmission. Objective: The objective of this review is to provide consideration and overview of the approaches that have been explored to date in design and development of HCMV vaccines. Methods: The literature as well as the United States Patent Office database were reviewed. Conclusion: Considerable effort has been made to develop vaccines at the preclinical level but more effort is required to move these into clinical testing. There is merit in exploring novel technologies and applying these to the design of new vaccine strategies for this significant public health problem.