title: Benefits and dangers of iron during infection.
abstract: Iron is essential for both human and microbial metabolism, and it is therefore important that iron status is maintained at a level that permits optimal immune responses by the host but does not facilitate availability of iron to microorganisms. This paper reviews the role of iron in resistance to infection, with particular reference to malaria and hepatitis C, and discusses the desirability of iron supplementation of populations at risk of infection.
authors.affiliation: Department of Immunology, Western Infirmary, Glasgow, UK. jhb1h@clinmed.gla.ac.uk
authors.forename: J H
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Brock
mesh_terms: D019587:Dietary Supplements; D006526:Hepatitis C; D006801:Humans; D007109:Immunity; D007113:Immunity, Innate; D007239:Infections; D007501:Iron / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000502:physiology*; D008288:Malaria
chemical_list: D007501:Iron