We hypothesize that this phenotype of higher CD57+ and lower NKp46 expression in NK cells could represent different stages of a chronic viral infection, and together with high NKG2C expression, could be consistent with HCMV infection reactivation or latency, whereas low CD57+ and high NKp46 together with low NKG2C expression in NK cells could be associated with reactivation or latency of EBV infection. This evidence concerns the gene NCR1 and viral infectious disease.