title: Immunology of HIV infection.
abstract: The goal of finding an effective vaccine against the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) is hampered by our uncertainty of the mechanism(s) responsible for the pathogenesis as well as the lack of knowledge of protective mechanisms. The effects of HIV on the immune system are myriad and thus the truly significant manifestations of the pathology are difficult to dissociate from those more peripheral. In this article we will initially characterize the natural history of HIV infection which shows a chronic and perhaps inexorable course. The second part will deal with the immune response mounted against this assault and the final section is a discussion of the possible unfavorable consequences of the immune response that humans muster against this agent.
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas 77030.
authors.forename: D E
authors.initials: DE
authors.lastname: Lewis
authors.forename: J V
authors.initials: JV
authors.lastname: Giorgi
mesh_terms: D015496:CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology; D015483:HIV Antibodies / Q000276:immunology; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000209:etiology / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology; D015497:HIV-1 / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D007111:Immunity, Cellular / Q000276:immunology; D012191:Retroviridae Proteins / Q000276:immunology; D050378:T-Lymphocytes, Regulatory / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D015483:HIV Antibodies; D012191:Retroviridae Proteins