In a limited number of studies where community-acquired primary HCMV infection has been identified in normally healthy individuals, it has been shown that CMV-specific CD8 + T cells acquire an effector phenotype during the acute phase of the infection and the numbers of CD8 + T cells increase (likely due to lymphocytosis, characteristic of natural CMV infection [1]); however, by 9 months post-infection these effects are mostly resolved, although an effector memory phenotype persists [84]. Here, CD8A is linked to cytomegalovirus infection.