Control of cytomegalovirus retinitis after combination antiretroviral therapy

Purpose: To report on AIDS patients having combination antiretroviral thera py whose cytomegalovirus (CMV) retinitis remained inactive after discontinu ation of anti-CMV maintenance therapy. Methods: We describe the course of CMV-retinitis in 3 patients with AIDS af ter initiation of combination antiretroviral therapy. Results: After cessation of anti-CMV therapy no relapse of CMV-retinitis ha s been observed for up to 18 months. Two of the patients developed new CMV- retinitis in the first months after initiation of combination therapy, neve rtheless after further improvement of immunological parameters retinitis re mained stable without anti-CMV therapy. Conclusion: The sustained immunological effects of combination therapy are possibly sufficient enough to provide protection against CMV-retinitis.