HIV infection, aging, and immune function

HIV infection and aging of the innate immune system.

The increased life expectancy of HIV-infected individuals due to improved treatment has revealed an unexpected increase in non-AIDS comorbidities that are typically associated with older age including cardiovascular disease, dementia and frailty. The majority of these diseases arise as the result of dysregulated systemic inflammation, and both the aged and HIV-infected individuals exhibit eleva...

Aging, Inflammation, and HIV Infection

Patients with HIV infection have had a dramatic increase in life expectancy with the use of potent antiretroviral therapy. However, life expectancy for many patients—particularly those with low CD4+ cell counts and those on salvage regimens—is still shorter than that for the general population. Among the data showing increased life expectancy in HIV infection are the findings in the ATHENA (AID...

The Immune System, Hiv, & Aging

HIV infection, inflammation, immunosenescence, and aging.

Although antiretroviral therapy for HIV infection prevents AIDS-related complications and prolongs life, it does not fully restore health. Long-term treated patients remain at higher than expected risk for a number of complications typically associated with aging, including cardiovascular disease, cancer, osteoporosis, and other end-organ diseases. The potential effect of HIV on health is perha...

Iron, infection and immune function

A decrease in circulating Fe, or hypoferraemia, is one of the most constant features of infectious disease. Since Fe deprivation in bacterial cultures is regularly associated with inhibition of growth, it has been suggested that Fe deficiency may represent an important defence mechanism (Weinberg, 1990). The term ‘nutritional immunity’ has been introduced by Kochan (1973) to underline the impor...