Fig. 1

CMV viral load in monocytes increases with ageing. CMV viral load within monocytes increases markedly above the age of 70 years. The DNA of purified CD14+ monocytes was extracted and CMV virus load was detected using droplet digital PCR analysis (ddPCR). a Positive droplets were defined as those detectable above the set threshold as shown in healthy donor (HD) 1 and 3. HD 2 had no detectable CMV viral load. b The CMV virus load was checked in 44 donors, aged between 20 and 90 years of age. The frequency of donors with detectable latent CMV viral load increases with age. c The absolute viral load per 10,000 monocytes was determined by QuantaSoft® software using RRP30 as an internal control. The CMV viral load increases dramatically over the age of 70. d The CMV virus load data was modelled with the exponential growth curve to show the CMV viral load doubling time was 9.6 years