Resistance to intestinal parasites during murine AIDS: Role of alcohol and nutrition in immune dysfunction

R. R. Watson

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

6 Scopus citations

Abstract

A murine AIDS model with many similarities to human AIDS, LP-BM5 Murine Leukaemia, suppresses T and B cell numbers and functions in the intestine. This permits chronic colonization by Giardia and Cryptosporidium. Cocaine and the nutrient alcohol, which are immunosuppressive, further reduce resistance to intestinal parasites and intestinal lymphocyte numbers. Protein undernutrition, vitamin E supplementation, and alcohol use further modify immune dysfunction induced by the murine retrovirus infection. This suggests that both undernutrition and nutrient supplementation could affect parasite resistance during AIDS. Thus this murine model of human AIDS has great potential to accelerate studies of the role of nutrients in immune dysfunction and resistance to intestinal parasites.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)S69-S74
JournalParasitology
Volume107
Issue numberS1
DOIs
StatePublished - Jan 1993

Keywords

  • Cryptosporidium
  • Giardia
  • T-lymphotytes
  • retrovirus

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Parasitology
  • Animal Science and Zoology
  • Infectious Diseases

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