HIV PATHOGENESIS - MECHANISMS OF SUSCEPTIBILITY AND DISEASE PROGRESSION

The understanding of the factors associated with HIV-1 acquisition and disease progression has been significantly advanced in the past few y ears. These factors can be broadly defined as intrinsic or acquired an d are operative at the levels of disease acquisition and progression o r both. Much recent attention has focused on the identification of all elic variants at specific genetic loci that alter either susceptibilit y to infection or the natural history of disease progression. In addit ion, a more detailed understanding of the immunologic responses to HIV -1 and factors that perturb these responses has greatly enhanced our u nderstanding of the immunologic control of HIV-1 and the roles of cofa ctors in HIV-1 acquisition and disease progression.