Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 18, 2026

08:14
An In Vitro Model for Measuring Immune Responses to Malaria in the Context of HIV Co-infection
Published on: October 6, 2015
[Morbidity and mortality in HIV infection]
M Stöckle1, L Elzi, J K Rockstroh
1Klinik für Infektiologie und Spitalhygiene, Universitätsspital Basel, Petersgraben 4, 4031, Basel, Schweiz.
Der Internist
|September 22, 2012
Summary
Combination antiretroviral therapy (cART) significantly improves HIV prognosis, enabling near-normal life expectancy. However, late diagnosis and co-morbidities present ongoing challenges for long-term HIV management.
Area of Science:
- Immunology
- Virology
- Public Health
Context:
- Combination antiretroviral therapy (cART) has transformed HIV/AIDS outcomes.
- Significant improvements in life expectancy are observed in treated individuals.
- HIV infection can be managed, preventing or restoring immune function.
Purpose:
- To summarize the impact of cART on HIV prognosis.
- To highlight challenges in HIV management.
- To discuss future considerations for aging HIV-infected populations.
Summary:
- cART dramatically improves prognosis for HIV-infected individuals, allowing for near-normal life expectancy.
- Early intervention with cART prevents or reconstitutes immune deficiency.
- Late diagnosis and co-morbidities (viral hepatitis, tumors) contribute to persistent morbidity and mortality, especially in older patients.
Impact:
- cART has shifted HIV from a fatal diagnosis to a manageable chronic condition.
- Understanding remaining challenges is crucial for optimizing long-term HIV care.
- The aging HIV population presents new complexities regarding co-morbidities and healthcare costs.
Related Concept Videos
Pulmonary Tuberculosis I
Tuberculosis, often called TB, is a contagious illness primarily caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis. It mainly affects the lung parenchyma but can also impact other body parts.
Causative Organism
The primary infectious agent causing tuberculosis is Mycobacterium tuberculosis, a slow-growing, acid-fast, aerobic rod that exhibits sensitivity to heat and ultraviolet light. Instances of Mycobacterium bovis and Mycobacterium avium contributing to the development of TB infection are rare.
Mode of...
Causative Organism
The primary infectious agent causing tuberculosis is Mycobacterium tuberculosis, a slow-growing, acid-fast, aerobic rod that exhibits sensitivity to heat and ultraviolet light. Instances of Mycobacterium bovis and Mycobacterium avium contributing to the development of TB infection are rare.
Mode of...
Sexually Transmitted Infections
Sexually transmitted infections (STIs) are diseases transmitted primarily through unsafe sexual interactions. Bacteria, viruses, or parasites cause them and can result in severe health complications if untreated.ChlamydiaThe bacterium Chlamydia trachomatis is responsible for the disease Chlamydia, the most common STI in the United States. This peculiar pathogen requires human cells to reproduce, residing intracellularly. The initial infection often goes unnoticed because it typically does not...
Immunodeficiency Diseases
Immunodeficiency disorders are conditions in which the immune system's ability to fight infectious disease and cancer is compromised or entirely absent. The immune system comprises a complex network of cells, tissues, and organs that work together to protect the body from potentially harmful invaders. When this system is deficient or not functioning properly, it leaves the body susceptible to infections, diseases, or other complications.
There are three main causes of immunodeficiency disorders...
There are three main causes of immunodeficiency disorders...
Retrovirus Life Cycles
Retroviruses have a single-stranded RNA genome that undergoes a special form of replication. Once the retrovirus has entered the host cell, an enzyme called reverse transcriptase synthesizes double-stranded DNA from the retroviral RNA genome. This DNA copy of the genome is then integrated into the host’s genome inside the nucleus via an enzyme called integrase. Consequently, the retroviral genome is transcribed into RNA whenever the host’s genome is transcribed, allowing the retrovirus to...
Cytomegalovirus Disease
Cytomegalovirus (CMV) disease is caused by human cytomegalovirus, a double-stranded DNA virus of the Herpesviridae family. While primary CMV infection is often asymptomatic in immunocompetent individuals, the virus can cause severe disease in neonates and immunocompromised patients. CMV is the most common cause of congenital viral infection in the United States, and a major pathogen in solid organ and hematopoietic stem cell transplant recipients.CMV is transmitted via bodily fluids, sexual...
Infectious Diseases and Their Occurrence
Infectious diseases appear in populations through various transmission patterns, influenced by pathogen characteristics, population immunity, environmental conditions, and social behavior. Understanding these patterns is essential for effective public health surveillance and intervention. These categories—sporadic, outbreak, epidemic, pandemic, and endemic—help frame the nature and scope of disease events.Sporadic diseases occur irregularly and infrequently, without a predictable temporal or...

