title: Mucosal immunity in the female genital tract, HIV/AIDS.
abstract: Mucosal immunity consists of innate and adaptive immune responses which can be influenced by systemic immunity. Despite having been the subject of intensive studies, it is not fully elucidated what exactly occurs after HIV contact with the female genital tract mucosa. The sexual route is the main route of HIV transmission, with an increased risk of infection in women compared to men. Several characteristics of the female genital tract make it suitable for inoculation, establishment of infection, and systemic spread of the virus, which causes local changes that may favor the development of infections by other pathogens, often called sexually transmitted diseases (STDs). The relationship of these STDs with HIV infection has been widely studied. Here we review the characteristics of mucosal immunity of the female genital tract, its alterations due to HIV/AIDS, and the characteristics of coinfections between HIV/AIDS and the most prevalent STDs.
authors.affiliation: Discipline of General Pathology, Nephropathology Service, Federal University of Triangulo Mineiro, Rua Frei Paulino n° 30, Bairro Abadia, 38025-180 Uberaba, MG, Brazil.
authors.forename: Juliana
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Reis Machado
authors.affiliation: Discipline of Immunology, Federal University of Triangulo Mineiro, Rua Frei Paulino n° 30, Bairro Abadia, 38025-180 Uberaba, MG, Brazil.
authors.forename: Marcos Vinícius
authors.initials: MV
authors.lastname: da Silva
authors.affiliation: Discipline of General Pathology, Nephropathology Service, Federal University of Triangulo Mineiro, Rua Frei Paulino n° 30, Bairro Abadia, 38025-180 Uberaba, MG, Brazil.
authors.forename: Camila Lourencini
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: Cavellani
authors.affiliation: Discipline of General Pathology, Nephropathology Service, Federal University of Triangulo Mineiro, Rua Frei Paulino n° 30, Bairro Abadia, 38025-180 Uberaba, MG, Brazil.
authors.forename: Marlene Antônia
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: dos Reis
authors.affiliation: Discipline of General Pathology, Nephropathology Service, Federal University of Triangulo Mineiro, Rua Frei Paulino n° 30, Bairro Abadia, 38025-180 Uberaba, MG, Brazil.
authors.forename: Maria Luiza Gonçalves dos Reis
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Monteiro
authors.affiliation: Discipline of General Pathology, Nephropathology Service, Federal University of Triangulo Mineiro, Rua Frei Paulino n° 30, Bairro Abadia, 38025-180 Uberaba, MG, Brazil.
authors.forename: Vicente de Paula Antunes
authors.initials: Vde P
authors.lastname: Teixeira
authors.affiliation: Discipline of General Pathology, Nephropathology Service, Federal University of Triangulo Mineiro, Rua Frei Paulino n° 30, Bairro Abadia, 38025-180 Uberaba, MG, Brazil.
authors.forename: Rosana Rosa
authors.initials: RR
authors.lastname: Miranda Corrêa
mesh_terms: D000163:Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome / Q000276:immunology*; D000818:Animals; D005260:Female; D005836:Genitalia, Female / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D018928:Immunity, Mucosal / Q000276:immunology*; D007962:Leukocytes / Q000473:pathology