Special Lecture

Abstract

HIV epidemic is still growing at rapid rates, with more than 34 million people living with HIV and 1.8 million AIDS-related deaths last year, according to UNAIDS/WHO. The main route for HIV spread is HIV sexual/mucosal transmission with 2.7 million newly infected individuals every year. Prevention by novel interventions during the very earliest stages of transmission offers one of the best hopes of making a significant impact in this alarming epidemic. Indeed, mass distribution of antiretrovirals is difficult to achieve and a highly effective anti-HIV vaccine will not be available in the near future. Therefore, understanding the mechanisms of HIV-1 mucosal transmission represents an essential step towards creating novel opportunities to control HIV propagation. Dendritic cells (DCs) including Langerhans cells (LCs) are likely to be among the earliest targets of HIV infection. Our studies aim to decipher the complex interactions of HIV with DCs/LCs with the goal in mind to offer perspectives for understanding HIV transmission and pathogenesis and should contribute to the search for novel microbicides or other HIV preventions and therapies. We will review here the multifaceted roles of dendritic cells and Langerhans cells in viral infections including HIV-1. We will also discuss some of the clinical manifestations of HIV infection including skin manifestations such as chronic herpes infections, eosinophilic folliculitis and discuss the immune reconstitution syndrome.