Epstein-Barr virus and HIV-AIDS-associated diseases

Among the secondary problems of patients with the human immune deficiency v irus (HIV) infection are lymphadenopathy, atypical lymphoproliferations, an d malignant transformations of lymphoid, muscle, and epithelial cells cause d by infection with Epstein-Barr virus (EBV). The lymphoproliferative disea ses associated with EBV infection include lymphocytic interstitial pneumoni tis, lymphomas of primary and extra-nodal sites, such as the central nervou s system (CNS), and mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue (MALT). EBV infection causes these diseases through a combination of mechanisms including use of virus-encoded transforming genes, stimulation of diverse cytokines, and in teraction with receptors for the tumor necrosis factor (TNF) family of cyto kines. (C) 2001 Editions scientifiques et medicales Elsevier SAS.