Starting at birth, the immune system needs to rapidly adapt to extrauterine life and its microorganisms. This is a delicate process with potential immediate and long-term health implications. Cytomegalovirus (CMV) is a highly host-adapted β-herpesvirus, which establishes life-long persistence. In the history of mankind, and currently in most developing countries, CMV infects most infants in the first year of life. The influence of CMV on the postnatal immune adaptation and the establishment of host resistance at the beginning of life against bacterial infection – starting from mucocutaneous surfaces – remains uncertain.

In this project we aim to explore the impact of an early CMV infection on the innate immune system development with a specific emphasis on the interaction with commensal bacteria. 

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