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Research at Eastern Virginia Medical School shows vaccine for cytomegalovirus has promise
NORFOLK, Va. -- Researchers at Eastern Virginia Medical School are studying a vaccine that may decrease transmission of cytomegalovirus (CMV) from children to adults.
CMV is a virus that may cause mononucleosis-type illness in healthy adults, severe infections in persons whose immune systems are impaired, organ rejection in transplant recipients and birth defects in infants born to mothers infected during pregnancy.
Douglas K. Mitchell, M.D., assistant professor of pediatrics at EVMS, led the investigation, which was carried out at the Center for Pediatric Research, a joint program of EVMS and Children's Hospital of The King's Daughters.
Mitchell's research, which involved toddlers, used a subunit vaccine combined with a novel adjuvant. The vaccine was produced by Chiron Vaccines, Emeryville, CA. The vaccine was well tolerated and highly immunogenic in the toddlers.
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