Introduction: Herpesviruses are ubiquitous viruses that establish latent infections and are present at high rates in individuals with Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF). Animal models of pulmonary fibrosis using virus infection support the role of herpesvirus as potential source of microinjury to the lung epithelium.

Objective: We aimed to understand whether prior herpesvirus infection (based on serology testing) is associated with differences in outcome of IPF progression.

Methods: We performed Cytomegalovirus (CMV) and Epstein Bar Virus (EBV) serology analysis on 161 individuals with interstitial lung disease (ILD) enrolled in a longitudinal cohort. Pulmonary function testing [predicted force vital capacity (FVC)%], was performed at baseline and 1 year following enrollment. In addition, telomere length (TL) was measured in white blood cells by southern blot.

Results: Among all participants, 90 were positive for CMV (53% females and 46% males), and 141 were positive for EBV (47% females and 52% males). In this cohort, female patients who were CMV+ or EBV+ were more often diagnosed with other ILDs (72%) when compared to IPF (28%). Male patients who were CMV+ or EBV+ males were more often diagnosed with IPF (65%) compared to other ILDs (35%). Changes in FVC% were not associated with CMV serostatus and the percentage of individuals with short telomere length (<1%) was similar in CMV+ and CMV- participants.

Conclusions: Collectively, these data indicate that while CMV is present in high number of males with IPF, a history of CMV infection does not predict ILD progression. Methods capable to detect virus reactivation in situ are necessary to explore the contribution of CMV in disease progression.