Stephen Dewhurst, Ph.D. and Linda Whetter, D.V.M., Ph.D.

Department of Microbiology and Immunology, and Cancer Center, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester NY

Received 2/21/97; Accepted 2/25/97; On-line 3/1/97

1. ABSTRACT

Human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) is the etiologic agent of acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) and is estimated to presently infect 24 million adults and 1.5 million children, worldwide. The pathogenesis of HIV-1-induced disease is complex and characterized by the interplay of both viral and host factors, which together determine the outcome of infection. An improved understanding of the pathogenic mechanisms of AIDS, combined with recent insights into the dynamics of viral infection, and the cellular co-receptors for HIV-1, may provide powerful new opportunities for therapeutic intervention against this virus.