ABSTRACT
Immunology is the study of systems, organs, cells and molecules that are involved in the recognition and destruction of foreign (non-self) materials that enter the human body (such
Introduction Immunity has evolved in humans over many millennia and affords essential protection against infectious diseases, without which survival would be impossible. The human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) targets key immune system cells for infection, which, over time, results in a gradual impairment of immune functions. This leaves immunocompromised individuals vulnerable to a range of infections and tumours (neoplasia) that thrive in the bleakness of depressed and increasingly ineffective immune responses. An understanding of normal immune mechanisms is necessary for nurses to fully appreciate the link between progressive immune dysfunction, predictable clinical outcomes and treatment options.
