Human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) is a ubiquitous β-herpesvirus which persists lifelong after primary infection and can lead to a significant disease in the immunocompromised individuals. CD8+T cells are believed to play a crucial role in both the elimination of active infection and maintenance of HCMV latency. Large expansions of CD8+T cells specific for a single epitope of HCMV have been well documented in Caucasoid population. To date, no similar study has been performed in Chinese populations. Here we report the characteristics of HCMV-specific CD8+T cells in healthy young and elderly Chinese donors using pp65495–503-loaded HLA-A*0201 tetramers. Cells were stained with a combination of the tetramers and antibodies for CD28 and CD57 or a panel of TCR Vβ and analyzed by three-color flow cytometry. The frequencies of pp65495–503-specific T cells within total CD8+T cell population were between 0.14 and 6.84% (mean 2.45%) in the young donors and were from 0.33 to 6.89% (mean 1.95%) in the elderly donors, respectively. There was no significant difference between the two groups. The expression of CD28 was decreased whereas CD57 expression was increased in tetramer-negative CD8+T cells in the elderly when compared with the young group. However, neither of these changes was found within tetramer-positive cell populations. Moreover, TCR Vβ usage within tetramer-positive population was predominated by certain TCR Vβ subsets. These results demonstrate that large expansions of HCMV-specific CD8+T cells with certain subsets TCR Vβ exist both in the healthy young and in the elderly Chinese individuals, which may play a role in the maintenance of virus latency but have potential detrimental influence on the immune responses to other pathogens or vaccinations.Human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) is a ubiquitous β-herpesvirus which persists lifelong after primary infection and can lead to a significant disease in the immunocompromised individuals. CD8+T cells are believed to play a crucial role in both the elimination of active infection and maintenance of HCMV latency. Large expansions of CD8+T cells specific for a single epitope of HCMV have been well documented in Caucasoid population. To date, no similar study has been performed in Chinese populations. Here we report the characteristics of HCMV-specific CD8+T cells in healthy young and elderly Chinese donors using pp65495–503-loaded HLA-A*0201 tetramers. Cells were stained with a combination of the tetramers and antibodies for CD28 and CD57 or a panel of TCR Vβ and analyzed by three-color flow cytometry. The frequencies of pp65495–503-specific T cells within total CD8+T cell population were between 0.14 and 6.84% (mean 2.45%) in the young donors and were from 0.33 to 6.89% (mean 1.95%) in the elderly donors, respectively. There was no significant difference between the two groups. The expression of CD28 was decreased whereas CD57 expression was increased in tetramer-negative CD8+T cells in the elderly when compared with the young group. However, neither of these changes was found within tetramer-positive cell populations. Moreover, TCR Vβ usage within tetramer-positive population was predominated by certain TCR Vβ subsets. These results demonstrate that large expansions of HCMV-specific CD8+T cells with certain subsets TCR Vβ exist both in the healthy young and in the elderly Chinese individuals, which may play a role in the maintenance of virus latency but have potential detrimental influence on the immune responses to other pathogens or vaccinations.