Current Information on Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS)

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o Intensive laboratory investigations to identify the
infectious agent of AIDS are being conducted including
virologic, pathologic, and immunologic studies.
Innoculations of tissue from patients into cell cultures
and laboratory animals, observation of these cultures and
animals, and prolonged immunologic and pathologic followup
of these animals are under way. Extensive laboratory
investigation of patient materials (blood, lymph nodes, and
autopsy specimens) are being conducted using highly
sophisticated methods.
Accomplishments
o Nitrite inhalants are probably not the cause of AIDS. They
are rarely used by heterosexual cases and do not cause
immunosuppression in mice.
o Immunological parameters of AIDS cases have been defined,
including identifying a cellular immune deficiency related
to T-cell function.
o Relationship of AIDS and cytomegalovirus (CMV) has been
clarified; CMV is.or.e likely an opportunistic infection in
AIDS cases and not the cause.
o Marmosets and chimpanzees inoculated with patient materials
have remained well, to date, though followup is for less
than nine months.
o Testing of blood products used by hemophiliacs (Factor VIII
concentrate and cryoprecipitate) have thus far been
negative for etiologic agents, using available laboratory
technology.
o Other virologic and pathologic laboratory examinations of
patient materials (blood, lymph nodes, autopsy specimen)
have not detected the cause, although many studies are
under way.
National Institutes of Health
Background
o Delineating the immune disorder of AIDS may lead to a
better understanding of other defects of the immune
system, including cancer and many kinds of
inflammatory diseases. Therefore, there is
significant commitment to the study of this disease.