Immunorestitution disease

Immunorestitution disease (IRD) is the paradoxical clinical deterioration of a pre-existing condition that can sometimes accompany the recovery of the immune system.

A report in the June issue of Clinical Infectious Diseases reviews the sequence of events as occurred previously published reports of IRD in HIV-infected patients after the initiation of HAART. The investigators found that for IRD due to mycobacteriosis (n=27) and cryptococcosis (n=4) the mean interval between the initiation of HAART and the onset of IRD was 11 days; and for viral infections due to cytomegalovirus (n=14), hepatitis B (n=1) and hepatitis C (n=2) the median interval was 42 days.

They concluded that ‘As an emerging clinical entity, IRD merits further study to optimise treatment of immunosupressed patients.’

Immunorestitution disease involving the innate and adaptive response. Cheng et al. Clin Infect Dis 2000 June; 30(6):882-92