Abstract
The AIDS syndrome, an almost uniformly fatal, transmissable new disease characterized by profoundly depressed cellular immunity, is manifest clinically by serious, life-threatening opportunistic infections and neoplasms [1]. Over 3000 cases have been reported in the United States and more than 20 countries have identified individuals who have this syndrom, as defined by the Center for Disease Control. There are four major risk groups: male homosexuals and bisexuals (71%), heterosexual drug abusers (17%), Haitians (5%), and hemophiliacs (1%). It appears that the disease is spread through sexual activity or intravenous administration of contaminated material. A large number of opportunistic pathogens which are rare in other populations cause significant morbidity and mortality in this group of patients. Such pathogens include cytomegalovirus, Candida albicans, Pneumocystic carinii, Mycobacterium avium-intracellulare, Cryptococcus neoformans, Crytosporidium, Toxoplasma gondii, and Epstein-Barr virus. The immune system is profoundly affected in this disease with an absolute decrease in T-lymphocytes, particularly the subset that subserves the helper/inducer function and is distinguished by its reactivity with the monoclonal antibody OKT4. Recent isolation of HTLV-III from AIDS patients [2], has raised expectations that strategies to boost natural immunity to the virus through a vaccine, or to block retroviral replication with rifampicin or a congener, may prevent the disease.
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© 1985 Martinus Nijhoff Publishers, Boston
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Longo, D.L. et al. (1985). Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS): Basic findings. In: Cavalli, F., Bonadonna, G., Rozencweig, M. (eds) Malignant Lymphomas and Hodgkin’s Disease: Experimental and Therapeutic Advances. Developments in Oncology, vol 32. Springer, Boston, MA. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4613-2607-6_25
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4613-2607-6_25
Publisher Name: Springer, Boston, MA
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