[en] In this chapter, we will briefly review the principal modes of interactions taking place between the host’s immune system and the principal groups of microorganisms. We will focus on the way these modes of interactions are modified by intrinsic and extrinsic factors associated with ageing. As described in Chapter 45, one of the principal features of immunosenescence is linked to thymus involution with subsequent loss of diversity of the repertoire of naïve T-cells. This has a major impact on the adaptative immune responses developed against newly encountered pathogens. Interestingly, more ubiquitous mechanisms associated with the ageing process itself could also have an impact on innate immunity. Defective autophagy impairs the clearance of intracellular pathogens and age-related defects of the ubiquitination-proteasome pathway concur to blunt antiviral responses. In summary, healthy ageing is associated with subtle impairments of innate and adaptive immunity directed against all groups of pathogens. The presence of comorbid states often exerts a synergistic effect on the susceptibility to infectious diseases.
Research Center/Unit :
GIGA-I3 - Giga-Infection, Immunity and Inflammation - ULiège
Disciplines :
Geriatrics Immunology & infectious disease
Author, co-author :
Moutschen, Michel ; Université de Liège - ULiège > Département des sciences cliniques > GIGA-R:Immunopath. - Maladies infect. et médec. inter. gén.
Martens, Henri ; Université de Liège - ULiège > Centre d'immunologie
Geenen, Vincent ; Université de Liège - ULiège > Centre d'immunologie
Language :
English
Title :
Immunosenescence and infectious diseases
Publication date :
December 2017
Main work title :
Oxford Textbook of Geriatric Medicine - 3rd Edition
Editor :
Michel, Jean-Pierre
Beattie, B. Lynn
Martin, Finbarr C.
Walston, Jeremy D.
Publisher :
Oxford University Press, Oxford, United Kingdom
Edition :
10.1093/med/9780198701590.001.0001
ISBN/EAN :
9780198701590
Pages :
1-17
Peer reviewed :
Peer reviewed
Funders :
F.R.S.-FNRS - Fonds de la Recherche Scientifique [BE]