Gene/Protein Disease Symptom Drug Enzyme Compound
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Query: UMLS:C0021051 (immunodeficiency)
 71,517 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

A number of reports over the last several years have linked a previously unidentified acid-fast organism with prolonged diarrhea in humans. Initially thought to be a cyanobacterium, the organism has been identified as a coccidian protozoan of the genus Cyclospora, and the name Cyclospora cayetanensis has been proposed. Organisms that resemble Cyclospora protozoa have been discovered in human stool samples around the world and have been isolated from children, immunocompetent adults, and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-seropositive individuals. The apparently waterborne organisms cause disease predominantly in summer months. In wet mounts of fresh stool specimens, the organisms are wrinkled spheres of 8-9 microns in diameter, with well-defined nonrefractile external walls and internal granular material, and resemble large oocysts of Cryptosporidium species. Organisms fluoresce under ultraviolet illumination. Formalin-preserved oocysts are variably acid-fast, and the results of staining with the modified carbolfuchsin technique (which is used to stain Cryptosporidium species) range from no staining to deep-red staining. The clinical syndrome is characterized by watery diarrhea (approximately 6 stools/day), nausea, anorexia, abdominal cramping, fatigue, and weight loss. Diarrhea appears to be self-limiting in the immunocompetent host but may be prolonged in patients with advanced HIV infection. Symptoms have abated in a handful of people treated with trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole. Many questions remain to be answered about this newly identified pathogen.
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PMID:Cyclospora: a newly identified intestinal pathogen of humans. 803 19

Microsporidia cause opportunistic infections in AIDS patients and commonly infect laboratory animals, as well. Euthymic C57B1/6 mice experimentally infected with intraperitoneal injections of 1 x 10(6) Encephalitozoon cuniculi Levaditi, Nicolau et Schoen, 1923, Encephalitozoon hellem Didier et al., 1991, or Nosema corneum Shadduck et al., 1990 displayed no clinical signs of disease. Athymic mice, however, developed ascites and died 8-16 days after inoculation with N. corneum, 21-25 days after inoculation with E. cuniculi, and 34-37 days after inoculation with E. hellem. All athymic mice displayed hepatomegaly, dilated intestine and accumulation of ascites fluid. Granulomatous lesions are primarily located in the liver, lung, pancreas, spleen, and on serosal surfaces of abdominal organs. The murine microsporidiosis model also was used to examine immune response that inhibit microsporidia growth in vitro. Recombinant murine interferon-gamma (mIFN-gamma, 100 mu/ml) alone or in combination with lipopolysaccharide (LPS; 10 ng/ml) could activate thioglycollate-induced peritoneal murine macrophages to destroy E. cuniculi. The production of the nitrogen intermediate, NO2-, correlated with parasite destruction. Inhibition of NO2- generation by addition of the L-arginine analogue, NG-monomethyl L-arginine (NMMA), inhibited microsporidia killing, as well. Since microsporidiosis is becoming an important opportunistic infection in AIDS patients, a microsporidiosis model is being developed using SIV/DeltaB670-infected rhesus macaque monkeys (Macaca mulatta). SIV-infected immunocompetent monkeys given E. cuniculi or E. hellem per os developed specific antibodies, and microsporidia could be detected sporadically by calcofluor or antibody fluorescence staining of stool and urine sediment smears. As immunodeficiency progressed, monkeys developed diarrhoea, cachexia, and anorexia, and organisms were detected in urine and stool with greater frequency. Immunodeficient SIV-infected monkeys died approximately 27 days after receiving E. hellem by intravenous inoculation, and approximately 110 days after receiving E. hellem per os. Lesions typical for SIV-infection were observed in both groups of monkeys and microsporidia were detected in kidney and liver of the intravenously-injected monkeys. The murine microsporidiosis model provides an efficient means for studying protective immune responses to microsporidiosis, and may prove useful for screening immunological and chemotherapeutic agents. The pathogenesis of Encephalitozoon microsporidiosis in SIV-infected monkeys appears to parallel encephalitozoonosis in AIDS patients, suggesting that simian microsporidiosis may provide a useful model for evaluating diagnostic methods and therapeutic strategies during various stages of progressing immunodeficiency.
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PMID:Experimental microsporidiosis in immunocompetent and immunodeficient mice and monkeys. 805 Jul 48

This study was designed to examine the effects of a pre-existing, clinically asymptomatic feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV) infection on a primary challenge with Toxoplasma gondii. Parenteral challenge of FIV-infected cats with tachyzoites of the ME49 strain of T. gondii caused a precipitous drop in all lymphocytes (CD4+, CD8+, and B cells) and generalized severe toxoplasmosis. The predominant postmortem lesions included acute and often fatal interstitial pneumonia, dominated histologically by macrophages, and multifocal to coalescing hepatic necrosis. Immunohistochemistry revealed numerous T. gondii antigen and tachyzoites in macrophages and other cell types in the lung lesions. The proliferative response of peripheral blood mononuclear cells to specific (T. gondii antigen) and nonspecific (Concanavalin A) mitogens was defective in the dually infected cats, suggesting marked immunosuppression. In contrast to the dually infected cats, cats infected only with T. gondii developed a transient, mild clinical disease characterized by anorexia, lethargy, and multifocal chorioretinitis. Lymphocyte changes in T. gondii-infected cats included an early pan-lymphopenia followed by reestablishment of all lymphocyte subset profiles. These cats also showed a reduced proliferative response to Concanavalin A at 1 week after challenge, but a measurable in vivo response to T. gondii antigens, as evidenced by in vitro lymphocyte proliferation in the absence of a mitogenic stimulus. These results show that infection of cats with FIV-NCSU, markedly enhances their susceptibility to a primary T. gondii infection and provides a model to study the mechanisms of the underlying immunological defect(s) occurring early after HIV infection that may predispose individuals to development of acquired immunodeficiency syndrome and associated diseases.
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PMID:Feline immunodeficiency virus predisposes cats to acute generalized toxoplasmosis. 823 62

Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), is able to replicate in many human cells such as helper lymphocytes, monocytes/macrophages and glial cells. Monocytes/macrophages must be considered an important reservoir of HIV in vivo and a producer of cytokines such as Interleukin-1 (IL1) and tumor necrosis factor (TNF). These substances lead to an autocrine feedback loop that produces an increased virus replication and a secondary induction of other cytokines such as Interleukin 6 (IL6) and granulocyte-macrophage colony stimulating factor (GM-CSF). These cytokines all together may be responsible for many clinical aspects of the disease such as headache, fever, anorexia, subtle cognitive changes, motor disfunctions and cachexia. The future strategies in the treatment of AIDS must be a combination of drugs acting on different points of viral replication and with synergistic potential. Omega 3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (omega-3) can be considered a candidate for their pleiotropic effects on immunological and metabolic systems. In particular, their use is considered for their ability to decrease IL1 and TNF production by monocytes/macrophages, as demonstrated by many authors. The decreased induction of these cytokines and consequently of IL6 and acute phase proteins may have beneficial effects on many clinical manifestations of AIDS such as cachexia.
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PMID:Omega-3 fatty acids as coadjuvant treatment in AIDS. 828 91

Light microscopic examination of feces from a human immunodeficiency virus-positive patient with chronic diarrhea, anorexia, and lethargy revealed the presence of numerous refractile bodies resembling microsporidian spores. They were subsequently identified as belonging to the genus Nosema on the basis of their ultrastructural characteristics. However, the microsporidia were enclosed within striated muscle cells, suggesting that they were probably ingested in food; thus, this represented an incidental finding rather than a true infection.
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PMID:Incidental finding of a microsporidian parasite from an AIDS patient. 843 33

Cytokines may be involved in weight loss and disturbances of metabolism associated with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection. Dietary n-3 fatty acids reduce the production of interleukin-1 (IL-1) and tumor necrosis factor (TNF) by peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) in normal humans and prevent IL-1 and TNF anorexia in animals. Accordingly, we studied the nutritional and metabolic effects of a 10-week trial of dietary fish oil (MaxEPA 18 g/day) in men with weight loss due to acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS). Twenty men were enrolled, and 16 completed the 10-week supplementation period. Prior weight loss was 13.7 +/- 1.8 kg(17.4 +/- 1.6% body weight, means +/- SE). Food intake, body composition, blood chemistries, serum cytokine concentrations, in vitro production of IL-1 and TNF by PBMC, and clinical course were followed. A subset of subjects (n=12) underwent stable isotope infusions to measure de novo hepatic lipogenesis (DNL), an in vivo metabolic index that is influenced by cytokine presence and has previously been found to be elevated in AIDS. An unsupplemented group of men with AIDS wasting (10.4 +/- 2.4 kg weight loss, 13.1 +/- 2.2% body weight) was monitored for 10 weeks as controls. Baseline food intake (2,395 +/- 177 kcal/day and 95.1 +/- 7.2 g protein/day), body weight, percent fat, and fat-free mass were unchanged over the 10-week supplementation period. Serum triglycerides were reduced in hypertriglyceridemic subjects, confirming compliance with fish oil supplementation and suggesting that their hypertriglyceridemia was at least in part due to overproduction. Serum TNF and IL-1 were undetectable before or after fish oil supplementation. Serum interferon alpha (IFN) was measurable but did not change. In vitro production of IL-1 and TNF by PBMC was markedly reduced both at baseline and after fish oil supplementation in this population, even in the presence of new AIDS complications, compared with normal controls. The metabolic measurement DNL fell and weight was gained (2.1 +/- 1.3 kg) in subjects who did not develop new AIDS-related complications, but further increases in DNL and further weight loss were observed in subjects who developed a new AIDS complication (p<0.05 for interaction between new complication and change in DNL). No changes in body weight, food intake, serum triglycerides, serum cytokines, or DNL were observed in the unsupplemented group. We conclude that fish oil is a weak anticytokine agent that is unable to overcome the metabolic and nutritional consequences of acute AIDS-related complications but may exert a clinical anticytokine effect in stable AIDS patients. Cytokine production by PBMC is not a useful or reliable marker of in vivo cytokine activity in AIDS patients with weight loss. In contrast, an integrative functional index that is sensitive to cytokine presence in tissues (hepatic DNL) correlated with clinical response. These findings are relevant to the design of future studies of more potent anticytokine agents, such as thalidomide.
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PMID:Effects of dietary n-3 fatty acid supplementation in men with weight loss associated with the acquired immune deficiency syndrome: Relation to indices of cytokine production. 860 62

Although Thailand's National Family Planning Program introduced Norplant contraceptive implants in 1986, few women infected with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) select this method, and its efficacy, clinical effects, and side effects in this population have not been investigated. To address these issues, a prospective cohort study was conducted during 1993-96 of 41 asymptomatic HIV-infected women who presented to the Family Planning Clinic at Ramathibodi Hospital in Bangkok, Thailand, and voluntarily accepted Norplant implants. All implants were inserted within 4 weeks after delivery or abortion. 63.4% of acceptors had not used any contraceptive method prior to pregnancy. At 6 and 12 months after insertion, 26% and 23%, respectively, reported irregular menstrual periods and 24.4% and 36.6%, respectively, reported amenorrhea. Side effects, reported by 3-10% of women, included headache, acne/chloasma, anorexia, and nausea. There were no significant changes in body weight, blood pressure, and hemoglobin between insertion and the 12-month follow-up. No pregnancies occurred during the study period. These findings suggest that Norplant implants are an effective, appropriate contraceptive method for HIV-infected women who want to avoid pregnancy but are not interested in sterilization.
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PMID:Use of Norplant implants in asymptomatic HIV-1 infected women. 917 51

In those who are infected with human immunodeficiency virus, poor nutritional status can result from numerous causes, including anorexia, catabolism, chronic infection, fever, poor nutrient intake, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, malabsorption, metabolic disturbances, lack of access to food, depression, and side effects of drug, radiation, and chemotherapy treatments. A compromised immune system may not be reversed by any medical treatments at this time, but malnutrition may be prevented and reversed by using current therapies, including medical nutrition therapy that includes nutrition assessment, the development of an individualized nutrition therapy plan, and implementation of the therapy. There is substantial evidence that medical nutrition therapy saves lives, reduces morbidity, improves health outcomes, reduces costs, and shortens hospital stays.
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PMID:HIV and medical nutrition therapy. 933 81

Three specific pathogen-free cats experimentally infected with feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV) strains Petaluma, TM1 and TM2, respectively were observed for over 8 years. Without showing any significant clinical signs of immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) for 8 years and 4 months of asymptomatic phase, the Petaluma-infected cat exhibited severe stomatitis/gingivitis, anorexia, emaciation, hematological and immunological disorders such as severe anemia, lymphopenia, thrombocytopenia, and decrease of CD4/CD8 ratio to 0.075, and finally died with hemoperitoneum at 8 years and 8 months post-infection. Histopathological studies revealed that the cat had systemic lymphoid atrophy and bone marrow disorders indicating acute myelocytic leukemia (aleukemic type). Plasma viral titer of the cat at AIDS phase was considerably high and anti-FIV antibody titer was slightly low as compared with the other FIV-infected cats. In addition, immunoblotting analysis using serially collected serum/plasma samples of these cats revealed that antibodies against FIV proteins were induced in all the infected cats, however in the Petaluma-infected cat anti-Gag antibodies disappeared during the asymptomatic period. These results suggested that plasma viral load and anti-FIV Gag antibody response correlated with disease progression, and supported FIV-infected cats as a suitable animal model of human AIDS.
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PMID:Eight-year observation and comparative study of specific pathogen-free cats experimentally infected with feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV) subtypes A and B: terminal acquired immunodeficiency syndrome in a cat infected with FIV petaluma strain. 956 Jul 79

Proinflammatory cytokines such as tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) have a prominent role in the pathogenesis of anorexia and cachexia of chronic disease. Pentoxyfylline and thalidomide are inhibitors of TNF-alpha that have been tried as rational therapeutic interventions in cachexia. Preliminary studies with pentoxyfylline have not shown efficacy in reversing weight loss, despite evidence of TNF-alpha inhibition. In contrast, the administration of thalidomide to patients with human immunodeficiency virus- and/or tuberculosis-associated weight loss has consistently resulted in weight gain. However, the relationship of the metabolic benefits of thalidomide treatment to its complex effects on the immune system is imperfectly understood. Studies of thalidomide, either alone or in combination with other therapies for the treatment of cancer cachexia, are warranted.
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PMID:Anticytokine approaches to the treatment of anorexia and cachexia. 962 84


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