Immunocompetent

The active immunotherapeutic approach is specific and based on the premise that tumor antigens are immunogenic and the host is sufficientiy immunocompetent to mount an effective immune response to an autologous tumor. Theoretically, a weak or suppressed host immune system that had allowed the formation of a tumor may be overridden by active immunization or immunostimulation. In practice, vaccines composed of so-called autologous tumor extracts have been used to treat patients with malignant melanoma (73), and purified melanoma tumor-associated antigens have been used to ehcit antibody responses in melanoma patients (74). 

MetaHoelement complexes may be useful for the post-irradiation treatment of radiation injury, based on the observation that several of these compounds accelerate recovery of, among other things, lympho/hemopoiesis. Preirradiation Mn2(0)(DIPS)g increases the survival of y-irradiated mice (103). Treatment of mice that have been exposed to an LD q q dose of y-rays plus Mn2(0)(DIPS)g either 1 or 3 h after irradiation also increases survival, which supports the hypothesis that this compound is an effective radiorecovery agent (105). Again, this increase in survival may result from the resynthesis of radiation-depleted Mn-dependent enzymes that facHitate the recovery of immunocompetence and tissue repair, as reported for Cu(II)2(DIPS)4. 

Cytomegalovirus (CMV) is a herpesvirus, which causes an inapparent infection in immunocompetent persons. Worldwide, approximately 40% of people are infected with CMV. In immunocompromised patients, transplant recipients and neonates, CMV can cause serious and potentially lethal disease manifestations like pneumonia, retinitis and blindness, hepatitis, infections of the digestive tract, deafness or mental retardation. 

Miller K, Maisey J, Nicklin S (1986) Effect of orally-administered dioctyltin dichioride on murine immunocompetence. Environmental Research, 39(2) 434—441. 

Schmidt RR. 1984. Altered development of immunocompetence following prenatal or combined prenatal-postnatal insult A timely review. J Am College Toxicol 3 57-72. 

Ison MG, Gubareva LV, Atmar RL, Treanor J, Hayden EG (2006a) Recovery of drug-resistant influenza virus from immunocompromised patients a case series, J Infect Dis 193 760-764 Ison MG, Mishin VP, Braciale TJ, Hayden EG, Gubareva LV (2006b) Comparative activities of oseltamivir and A-322278 in immunocompetent and immunocompromised murine models of influenza virus infection, J Infect Dis 193 765-772... 

HCMV is widespread in the human population. In immunocompetent individuals, the infection is inapparent or associated with mild symptoms. However, HCMV is frequently transmitted perinatally and is the leading cause of neurological disease and hearing loss in congenitally infected newborns, affecting some 8,000 newborns per year in USA alone (Arvin and Alford 1990). Furthermore, following the first 100 days after transplantation, HCMV-induced pneumonia develops in about 50%... 

Faith RE, Luster MI, Vos JG. 1980. Effects on immunocompetence by chemicals of environmental concern. Rev Biochem Toxicol 2 173-211. 

Tolerance can also be induced in adults, but higher doses ofthe antigen are required where it has been shown that both T and B cells are made unresponsive. As most antibody responses are T-dependent it is likely that it is these cells which are the ones affected. In order to maintain this state of tolerance it is necessary for the antigen to persist in the animal, as in its absence immunocompetent cells which are being produced throughout life are not being rendered tolerant. 

Chemoprevention and immunocompetence effect of rice bran saccharides (Nakamura, 1992 Miyoshi et al., 2001). 

NAKAMURA s (1992) Fundamental study on influence of rice bran saccharide on ENNG carcinogenesis and immunocompetence of rat J Jap Soc for Cancer Theropy, 27(1) 13-20. 

Man dell LA, Bartlett IG, Dowell SF, et al. Update of practice guidelines for the management of community-acquired pneumonia in immunocompetent adults. Clin Infect Dis 2003 37 1405-1433. 

Design, evaluate, and assess an appropriate therapeutic plan for an immunocompetent, immunocompromised, pregnant, and pediatric patient. 

Patients with AIDS and other immunocompromised hosts may be managed with chemotherapeutic regimens similar to those used in immunocompetent individuals, although treatment is... 

I and 1990s because of its relationship with HIV/AIDS. Cryptosporidium accounts for 2.2% and 6.1% of diarrhea cases in immunocompetent people in developed and developing countries, respectively.3 These percentages increase to 7% and 12% in children in developed and developing countries, respectively, and to 14% and 24% in immunocompromised persons in developed and developing countries, respectively.3... 

There is no antimicrobial available that is effective at consistently eradicating Cryptosporidium, particularly in immunocompromised hosts. In general, immunocompetent persons... 

Azithromycin and clarithromycin have shown some success for cryptosporidiosis, even in HIV-positive patients.4 However, the most promising agent is nitazoxanide, which was approved recently by the FDA for the treatment of cryptosporidiosis in children. In randomized, placebo-controlled trials, nitazoxanide has demonstrated efficacy in cryptosporidiosis in immunocompetent persons, malnourished children, and HIV/AIDS patients with CD4+ cell counts above 50 cells/mm3.39 Limited evidence suggests that patients with CD4+ cell counts of less than 50 cells/mm3 may benefit from higher doses, longer durations, or both.39... 

Two to three weeks of fluconazole or itraconazole solution are highly effective and demonstrate similar clinical response rates.32 Doses of 100 to 200 mg are effective in immunocompetent patients but doses up to 400 mg are recommended for immunocompromised patients. Due to variable absorption, ketoconazole and itraconazole capsules should be considered second-line therapy. In severe cases, oral azoles may prove ineffective, warranting the use of amphotericin B for 10 days. Although echinocandins and voriconazole are effective in treatment of esophageal candidiasis, experience remains limited. 

Immunocompetent patients generally do not require reassessment after treatment. Patients with neutropenia exhibit an increased risk of dissemination of infection, and therefore should be monitored for signs of systemic fungal infection. Due to an increased risk of recurrence, HIV-positive patients should routinely be evaluated for recurrence at each visit. 

In addition to the classical stress hormones already reviewed, several other hormones are augmented in response to stress. Stress-induced prolactin release is one of the most frequently studied examples. There is no doubt about the causal relationship between stress and increased pituitary prolactin release, but the biological meaning is much less clear (G2). This phylogenetically old hormone has been shown to have more than 85 different functions in all vertebrate species. However, besides its role in the induction of maternal lactogenesis, the physiological importance of prolactin is at present not fully established. Experimental and clinical evidence supports the view that prolactin is also an immunoregulating hormone (M44, R18). Prolactin receptors are present on human T and B lymphocytes (R18), and T lymphocytes depend on prolactin for maintenance of immunocompetence (B19). In addition, it has been shown that prolactin is able to influence the devel-... 

Mpller, A. P., Biard, C., Blount, J. D., Houston, D. C., Ninni, P., Saino, N., and Surai, P. F. 2000. Carotenoid-dependent signals Indicators of foraging efficiency, immunocompetence, or detoxification ability Avian Poult. Biol. Rev. 11 137-159. 

Acid-fast staining for Cryptosporidium sp. has recently become important because this parasite is now recognized as a cause of severe diarrhea in immunodeficient patients such as those with AIDS, and it can cause transient diarrhea in immunocompetent individuals. The modified acid-fast stain recommended is similar to that used to stain Nocardia spp. in that it uses milder acid decolorization. A variety of acid-fast and fluorochrome staining procedures have been described for Cryptosporidium spp., and all the procedures appear to work. 

Host and parasite have coevolved over millions of years and exist in mutual tolerance, disease only being apparent when the balance is upset by the host being exposed to unusually high parasite burdens at times when immunocompetence is diminished by age, physiological state, disease or nutritional status. The host immune response is multifaceted and it is... 

Urban, J.F., Maliszewski, C.R., Madden, K.B., Katona, I.M. and Finkelman, F.D. (1995) IL-4 treatment can cure established gastrointestinal nematode infections in immunocompetent and immunodeficient mice. Journal of Immunology 154, 4675-4684. 

Millet S, Cox E, Buyse J, Goddeeris BM and Janssens GPJ (2005) Immunocompetence of fattening pigs fed organic versus conventional diets in organic versus conventional housing . The Veterinary Journal, 169, 293-299. 

Blum S., Alvarez S., Haller D., Perez P. and Schiffrin E.J. (1999). Intestinal micro-flora and the interaction with immunocompetent cells. Antoine van Leeuwenhoek, 76, 199-205. 

Alcantara CS, Yang CH, Steiner TS, Barrett LJ, Lima AAM, Chappell CL, Okhuysen PC, White AC, Guerrant RL Interleukin-8, tumor necrosis factor-a and lactoferrin in immunocompetent hosts with experimental and Brazilian children with acquired cryptosporidiosis. Am J Trop Med Hyg 2003 68 325-328. 

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