OBJECTIVE We systematically reviewed the performance of 2010 WHO immunologic and clinical criteria for predicting virologic failure in HIV-infected patients on antiretroviral therapy (ART). DESIGN Systematic review. METHODS We used Cochrane Collaboration methods. We calculated unweighted sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value (PPV), and negative predictive value (NPV) of immuno...

Breast cancer is an immunogenic tumor. Over the last decade, investigations have shown that patients with breast cancer have pre-existent immune responses, both humoral and cellular, against a variety of proteins expressed in their tumors. Researchers using genomic and proteomic techniques have defined dozens of proteins that may serve as immunologic targets in breast cancer patients. In additi...

Hodgkin's lymphoma is a lymphoid malignancy of the immune system. The pathognomonic Hodgkin and Reed-Sternberg cells (HRS) are derived mainly from monoclonal, preapoptotic B cells, and they carry rearranged, somatically mutated immunoglobulin heavy chains. In an appropriate microenvironment, HRS cells escape from apoptosis by several mechanisms, including single mutations, aberrant signaling pa...

Hypersensitivity drug reactions (HDR) consist of an individual abnormal response with the involvement of the immunological system. In addition to specific immunological mechanisms where specific antibodies or sensitised T cells participate, release of inflammatory mediators by non-specific immunological recognition may also occur. Within this category are one of the most common groups of drugs,...

Clinical and pathologic features of myasthenia gravis suggest a possible autoim­ mune etiology. Myasthenia is found in association with other putative autoim­ mune diseases and autoantibodies including anti-muscle antibodies. There is also in vitro evidence for cell-mediated immunity to muscle in blood and thymic cells as well as a suggestion of antigenic disparity between blood and thymic cell...

Atopic dermatitis/eczema is a chronically relapsing, pruritic, and inflammatory skin disease. The term "atopic eczema/dermatitis syndrome" covers the "extrinsic" and "intrinsic" atopic dermatitis. The pathogenesis of atopic dermatitis includes complex interaction between the genetic background, skin barrier defects, abnormalities in innate and adaptive immunity, abnormalities of humoral and cel...

Editorial Clinically evident active pulmonary or extrapulmonary tuberculosis (TB) does not pose a significant diagnostic challenge , but the diagnosis of subclinical or atypical forms of TB is much more troublesome. More accurate tests that can specifically diagnose active TB have been much awaited. Interferon-γ (IFN-γ) release assays (IGRAs) are recently developed tests recommended for the dia...

A tumoricidal system has been described utilizing a two-step process which, first, specifically alters the antigenic nature of a tumor cell and, second, adds a heterologous cytotoxic anti body without affecting normal cells. The antigenic structure of the tumor cell is altered by the nitrogen mustard, L-phenylalanine mustard, and a specific antibody is made to this mustard by injecting it into ...

Vascular basement membrane was disrupted in the presence of polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMN's) during two immunologic reactions: The Arthus phenomenon and the reaction to locally injected antibody to vascular basement membrane. This disruption was evidenced by (a) the inability of the basement membrane to retain circulating carbon, by (b) loss of antigenic constituents, and by (c) electron mi...