ANTICARDIOLIPIN ANTIBODIES IN OPPORTUNISTIC INFECTIONS IN AIDS

Autoimmune disorders are involved in the pathogenesis of AIDS. Clinical association between AIDS and and autoimmune diseases including arthritis, polymyositis, hemolytic anemia, vitiligo thrombocytopenic purpura, vasculitis, glomerulonephritis and Sjogren's syndrome, have been described. The authors try to assess a) the frequency of autoantibodies including anticardiolipin antibodies (ACAs) in sera from anti-HIV+ subjects and AIDS patients grouped according to their opportunistic infections and b) to verify the presence of phospholipid (cardiolipin) molecules on P. carinii and to their immunologic properties. The increased ACA in patients suffering from pneumocystosis was statistically significant as compared to all other groups.