HCMV is ubiquitous worldwide, with 80%–90% of the global population being seropositive, and the virus is the leading infectious cause of congenital neurological diseases and deafness.76-78 Our work applies to HCMV models and suggests there could be significant value in identifying an HLA-E-restricted QFL-like T cell response that detects ERAAP downregulation and contributes to protection against HCMV infection. This evidence concerns the gene HLA-E and deafness.