Nutrition and immunity.
Severe protein deficiencies such as kwashiorkor result in immunosuppression of humoral cellular and mucosal immune systems. These suppressions result in a greater incidence of disease in animals and humans and create increased risks of morbidity and mortality due to infectious disease or neoplasias. The effect of moderate protein-calorie deficiency on immuno-competence appears to be highly variable in studies with experimental animals. In young animals, some parts of the host-defense systems are stimulated while other are inhibited. These effects appear to result in long life-spans. This may be due to slower maturation and, hence, a slower decline of host-defense systems in the moderately malnourished animals.
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000818:Animals; D000917:Antibody Formation; D002675:Child, Preschool; D006801:Humans; D007109:Immunity; D007111:Immunity, Cellular; D007113:Immunity, Innate; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D009748:Nutrition Disorders / Q000276:immunology; D009747:Nutritional Physiological Phenomena