Immunity of HIV & AIDS: Introduction
Normal aging of the immune system does include a loss of T-cell proliferation ability, a loss of delayed hypersensitivity skin reaction to antigens, a decrease of antibody diversity and avidity and a change in the elaboration of certain lymphokines. (Stall R and Catania J, 1998) The trends are still suggested by current data that report older adults are more likely to be reported with an AIDS opportunistic infection then just with severe immunosuppression without an opportunistic infection; and that they are more likely to die within 1 month of their AIDS diagnosis compared to younger adults. (CDC, 1998).
The following case history incited this exhaustive investigation of the causes and pathogenesis of acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS). A 60 year-old-white male, HIV-negative, developed Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) following treatment with a two month course of prednisone (60 mg per day) and a two week course of azathioprine (50-100 mg per day) for lung fibrosis. His blood CD4+ T cells count was 255/µL, the CD4+ T cells /CD8+ T cells ratio was 0.6, and he had severe lymphocytopenia. He also suffered from pneumonia and severe fungal infection in his mouth and skin. With the stoppage of the treatment with prednisone and azathioprine led to the reversal of the damage in his immune system. He fully recovered from pneumonia and the fungal infection after a short course of antibiotics and the use of antifungal lotion. Twenty-two days after the last dose of prednisone, his CD4+ T cells count was back to normal at 657 cells/µL (Al-Bayati, 1999).
A Review of the literature of the causes and the pathogenesis of AIDS universally found out that about 90% of AIDS cases in the USA and Europe are observed in homosexual men and drug users......
