The associations of CMV serostatus with the levels of CSF2, IFNγ and TNF in SEB stimulation are lost when specific memory T cell numbers are used as covariates (Extended Data Fig. 7a), which is consistent with the reported association of these cells with CMV latent infection3, and suggests that the effects of CMV latent infection on cytokines are mediated by changes in blood cell composition. Here, TNF is linked to disease arising from reactivation of latent virus.