Zeitschrift für Rheumatologie
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The recognition of a newly acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) in 1981 has had dramatic social and economic implications. Eventually, an epidemic of the viral infection developed with a potential to spread globally. The extraordinary breadth of AIDS research lead to the early identification of the causative agent: The human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) is a member of the lentivirus family and is characterized by its ability to remain latent within the genome of the infected host. ⋯ Recent reports have stressed a new mechanism of disease induction in HIV infected patients. Inappropriate induction of potentially destructive cytokines appears to be initiated by the viral infection and the expression of the viral genome seems to be effectively modulated by cytokines. In summary, HIV infection may provide important insights in the pathogenesis of rheumatic diseases co-occurring with HIV infections.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)