Inclusion Criteria

Concurrent Medication:

Allowed:

• Maintenance therapy for stable opportunistic infection which is not myelosuppressive.
• Aerosolized pentamidine for prophylaxis of Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia.
• Acyclovir or other appropriate medications for appearance of Herpes simplex virus or Varicella zoster virus infections (after enrollment in study) that require systemic therapy.
• Medications absolutely necessary for the patient's welfare, at discretion of investigator.

Patients must:

• Have a diagnosis of sight-threatening cytomegalovirus (CMV) retinitis and AIDS.
• Have at least one pending culture for cytomegalovirus (CMV) from buffy coat and/or urine prior to study entry or previously documented CMV viremia or viruria within 6 weeks prior to study entry.
• Be capable of giving informed consent.

Exclusion Criteria

Co-existing Condition:

Patients with the following are excluded:

• Corneal, lenticular, or vitreal opacification that precludes examination of the fundi, or evidence of other retinopathy other than cotton wool spots.

Concurrent Medication:

Excluded:

• Systemic antiviral therapy except Zidovudine (AZT) which will be added during the extended maintenance phase of the study.
• Foscarnet.
• Treatment for an active AIDS-defining opportunistic infection.
• Any potentially cytotoxic chemotherapeutic agent.

Patients with the following are excluded:

• Corneal, lenticular, or vitreal opacification that precludes examination of the fundi, or evidence of other retinopathy other than cotton wool spots.

Prior Medication:

Excluded within 14 days of study entry:

• Other immunomodulators, biologic response modifiers, or investigational agents.
• Protocol drugs.
• Foscarnet.
• Any potentially cytotoxic chemotherapeutic agent.

Prior Treatment:

Excluded within 14 days of study entry:

• Administration of cytomegalovirus hyperimmune globulin in therapeutic doses.