Pathogenesis and Treatment of Human Immunodeficiency Virus-Associated Cytomegalovirus Retinitis

Abstract

In the era of HAART, human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) retinitis remains the leading opportunistic ocular infection and the major cause of blindness in patients with AIDS. The virus has been subjected to selection and presented with the opportunity to occupy a niche to which it is highly adapted in order to escape from host immune recognition and establish persistent infection in the retina. The imbalance between host immune protection and viral immune evasion results in retinitis progression. Moreover, a synergistic interaction between HCMV and HIV in the pathogenesis of retinitis has been proposed. HAART has had a major beneficial impact on the prognosis for HIV-infected individuals. Both HAART and specific anti-HCMV treatment contribute to therapeutic success against HCMV retinitis in AIDS patients. The improved prognosis for AIDS patients with respect to the development of HCMV retinitis has been welcomed; however, we should bear in mind the occurrence of HIV drug resistance, relapse of retinitis and immune recovery uveitis after treatment, which mean that this complication of HIV infection remains a threat.

Keywords:

• AIDS
• anti-HCMV therapy
• HAART
• HCMV retinitis
• HIV
• human cytomegalovirus
• immune-recovery uveitis
• pathogenesis

Financial & competing interests disclosure

The authors have no relevant affiliations or financial involvement with any organization or entity with a financial interest in or financial conflict with the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript. This includes employment, consultancies, honoraria, stock ownership or options, expert testimony, grants or patents received or pending, or royalties.

No writing assistance was utilized in the production of this manuscript.