HIV-Co Opportunistic Infections - A Current Picture in Tropical Climatic Eastern Indian Seropositive Population

Abstract

HIV or Human Immunodeficiency Virus, a RNA virus. On exposure to this virus, it directly attacks certain human organs, such as the heart, brain and kidneys. It plays a very significant role in weakening the immune system of its host. The immune system forms the framework in protecting the body from attack by any foreign agent like the bacteria, fungus, virus or any type of infection and even from some cancers by reacting accordingly. The primary cells attacked by HIV are the CD4+ lymphocytes, which are glycoprotein expressed on the surface of Th cells, macrophages, monocytes, regulatory T cells and dendritic cells and plays a vital role in performing important immune responses in the body. It helps in direct immune function in the body. It is via this CD4 that HIV-1 enters into the host T-cells. A progressive reduction in the number of T cells expressing CD4 occurs on HIV infection. Since CD4+ plays a very important role in maintaining a proper immune system function, progressive loss of CD4+ lymphocytes as destroyed by HIV, the immune system barely works. With more active HIV infection or on prolonged exposure to HIV would deprive the host of its CD4 containing cells and this reduced CD4 count leading to reduced host immunity. Opportunistic infections take advantage of this weak host immune system and manifest their adverse effects. Many people especially during the advanced stage of HIV infection face problems resulting from opportunistic infections (OIs) and cancers. The HIV/AIDS is a global epidemic and approximately 40 million people are living with HIV/AIDS worldwide (Quinn, 1996). Of all HIV/AIDS infected people, 95% are living in developing countries. Africa is the worst affected of all the continents. It consists of 19 countries worldwide with the highest prevalence of reported infections with more than 24.5 million, and more than 60% of the HIV-infected population. South Africa holds the record of being the country with the largest population living with the disease, at well over 5 million people infected. South Africa is followed by followed by Nigeria in 2nd place and India being the 3rd largest population of HIV infected people. Currently India about 5.134 million HIV infected cases are present in India which comprises of 65% cases of Southeast Asia. In India, HIV/ AIDS pandemic no longer belongs to the high-risk groups but now it is common among the general population (Ran & Hemalatha, 2006; Solomon et al.2006). Exponential growth of this epidemic is now at the threshold for India.