This Project Grant award from the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS) under the Extramural Research Programs in the Neurosciences and Neurological Disorders (CFDA 93.853) will provide $239,490 in funding to the Regents of the University of Minnesota to conduct research on the impact of cytomegalovirus (CMV) viremia on opportunistic neuroinfections in advanced HIV disease.
The primary objectives are to: (1) determine if CMV viremia is a time-dependent risk factor for 18-week mortality among Ugandans with advanced HIV disease and cryptococcal meningitis, and (2) assess if host Th1 immune responses are impaired in persons with active CMV viremia compared to non-viremic individuals with HIV-related cryptococcal meningitis. This research aims to generate critical data on the optimal duration and appropriate risk criteria for future anti-CMV clinical trials, as well as identify potential immune mechanisms underlying the observed CMV viremia-mortality association. The findings are expected to inform the design of a future randomized controlled trial to evaluate if anti-CMV therapy can mitigate the excess mortality risk associated with CMV viremia in this patient population.
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