Infection with the human immunodeficiency virus is characterized by the destruction of the host immune system as also reflected by a progressive loss of CD4-positive T-cells. This finally results in the host's incapacity to deal with opportunistic infections and the immune surveillance of tumors, a clinical status known as the Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS). The book AIDS Pathogenesis provides the reader with a complete overview of the clinical course of HIV-1 infection. It describes the clinical aspects of primary infection, the different clinical outcomes of HIV-1 infection, and strategies for anti-viral treatment. In addition, more fundamental aspects of HIV-1 infection are reviewed. These include the biology of the virus and the novel insights in AIDS pathogenesis. Not only is the significance of an HIV-specific cellular and humoral immune response discussed, but also the possible incapacity of the adult human host to deal with T-cell destruction. Finally, the book discusses the currently used laboratory markers that allow for monitoring of the clinical course of infection.

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1. HIV-1 transmission; A.B. van t Wout, et al. 2. Primary HIV infection; A. Carr, D. Cooper. 3. Biological variability of HIV-1; J. Albert, M. Koot. 4. T-cell dynamics and renewal in HIV-1 infection; K.C. Wolthers, D.R. Clark. 5. Long-term non-progressive HIV infection; S. Buchbinder, E. Vittinghoff. 6. Cytotoxic T lymphocytes in HIV-1 infection; M.R. Klein, et al. 7. Mechanisms and in-vivo significance of HIV-1 neutralisation; P.W.H.I. Parren, et al. 8. Suppression of primate immunodeficiency lentiretroviruses by CD8+ T-cell-derived soluble factors; P. Lusso. 9. Opportunistic inflections; J. Helweg-Larsen, et al. 10. -AIDS-related non-Hodgkin's lymphomas; M.J. Kersten, M.H.J. van Oers. -Pathogenesis of Kaposi's sarcoma; T.F. Schulz. 11. AIDS dementia complex; P. Portegies, R.H. Enting. 12. Anti-retroviral therapy and resistance to anti-retroviral drugs; J.M.A. Lange, J.S.G. Montaner. 13. Prognostic markers and immunological reconstitution during HIV-1 infection; M.Th.L. Roos, et al. 14. HIV-viral load; F. de Wolf, I. Spijkerman. 15. -The SCID-hu mouse: an in-vivo model for HIV-1 infection in humans; H. Kaneshima. -Non-Human primate models for HIV-1 infection; N.L. Letvin.