Fig. 5

An overview of the parallel changes in viral load and immunity during the lifetime of an individual infected with Cytomegalovirus. Schematic representation of the relative changes in the peripheral blood viral load as well as humoral and T cell immune response to CMV over the human life-course. Primary infection is shown as occurring during childhood, the most common age of infection. CMV viral load and CMV-specific IgG antibody titre increases during ageing. CD8 T cell responses to IE-1 peptides peaked in people aged 50–60 years and then decreased in older donors, while T cell response to pp65 peptides increase with ageing