Poor CMV-specific CD8+ T central memory subset recovery at early stage post-HSCT associates with refractory and recurrent CMV reactivation

•Low level of CMV-specific CD8+ TCM cells at day 30 post-HSCT associated with a high risk of refractory and recurrent CMV.•The level of CMV-specific CD8+ TCM cells at early stage post-HSCT associated with CMV-specific CD8+ T cell reconstitution.•CMV-specific CD8+ TCM cells play a crucial role in controlling and forming immune protection from CMV reactivation post-HSCT.