Host-pathogen interaction in HIV infection.

Host-pathogen interaction in HIV infection.
Curr Opin Immunol. 2013 Jul 24;
Authors: Chowdhury A, Silvestri G
Abstract
The host-pathogen interaction is strikingly complex during HIV infection. While several immune effector mechanisms (i.e. cytotoxic T cells, neutralizing antibodies, NK cells, among others) can play a strong antiviral role in vivo, the virus is remarkably able to evade these responses. In addition, the virus preferentially infects and kills activated memory CD4+ T cells, thus exploiting the host antiviral immune response as a source of new cellular targets for infection. Recent advances in understanding (i) how HIV perturbs the host immune system, (ii) how the immune system fights HIV; and (iii) how HIV disease persists when virus replication is suppressed by antiretroviral drugs may hopefully lead to better prevention and treatment strategies for this deadly viral infection.
PMID: 23890585 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]

Source: Current Opinion in Immunology - July 24, 2013 Category: Allergy & Immunology Authors: Chowdhury A, Silvestri G Tags: Curr Opin Immunol Source Type: research