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. The gene discussed is B3GAT1; the disease is cytomegalovirus infection.