DEFICIENCY IN ANTIBODY-RESPONSE TO HUMAN CYTOMEGALOVIRUS GLYCOPROTEINGH IN HUMAN IMMUNODEFICIENCY VIRUS-TREATED PATIENTS AT RISK FOR CYTOMEGALOVIRUS RETINITIS

Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-infected patients at risk for sympt omatic human cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection were studied for serum an tibody to CMV glycoproteins gH and gB. Antibody titers to gB in HIV-se ropositive patients, irrespective of CD4 cell counts or presence of CM V retinitis, were significantly higher than titers in HIV-seronegative , CMV-seropositive patients but were comparable to titers detected in HIV-seronegative patients with CMV mononucleosis. In contrast, antibod y to gH was rarely detected in HIV-seropositive patients with CD4 cell counts > 100/mm(3) compared with patients with counts > 100/mm(3). Th e inability to detect gH antibody at a time of high risk for symptomat ic CMV retinitis suggests that immune intervention with either gH-spec ific vaccine or passive immunotherapy may benefit HIV-infected persons at risk for symptomatic CMV disease.