Current concepts in the immunopathogenesis of AIDS and HIV infection

The immunopathogenetic mechanisms underlying AIDS and HIV infection are first considered from a clinical viewpoint, relating the opportunistic infections and tumours to the underlying biological defects that these imply. These are then related to the way in which HIV attacks its target cells in the immune system, followed by a more detailed description of the numerical and functional abnormalities, including those in CD4 lymphocytes, monocytes/macrophages and other antigen presenting cells, B-lymphocytes and cytotoxic cells. The value of immunological tests for assessing prognosis in HIV infection and the role of genetic factors in susceptibility to HIV infection and to AIDS are reviewed.