Immunity, inflammation and infections during aging: The susceptibility to infections in elderly individuals

Abstract

The major changes occurring life long in the human immune system are here described. The progressive inflammatory status which is established during aging together with the progressive susceptibility to infectious diseases are discussed in the frame of the genetic variant influence. Finally, the possibility to counteract the susceptibility to infections by coping with or slowing down immunosenescence, using different molecules or strategies, is argued © 2006 Springer.