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HIV infection is in essence a disease that can be transmitted across the mucosa.
Obvious but often neglected, this observation makes it necessary to look carefully at incipient interactions between the mucosa and HIV as the starting point of any exploration of the pathophysiology of this viral infection.
Over 30 years after the discovery of HIV, the scientific study of the biological and behavioural mechanisms implicated in the mucosal transmission of HIV has become a pluridisciplinary, complex and constantly advancing field.
The students, doctors and researchers specialising in AIDS have acquired a remarkable understanding of the natural history of the disease, its diagnosis and therapeutic management, while their knowledge of mucosal immunity and virology and of behavioural sciences suffers from an evident lack of direction.
And yet, it is only through a fuller understanding of these aspects that it will be possible to measure the countless consequences of mucosal transmission of HIV, such as the explosion of the AIDS epidemic in the developing countries, the resurgence of ancient nightmares and myths about sexually transmitted, contagious and incurable diseases and discrimination related to minority sexual practices. It will also lead to an appreciation of what is to be achieved by today's research efforts into HIV infection such as an understanding of strange phenomenon of resistance to sexual transmission of HIV or the creation and development of microbicides and mucosally-delivered vaccines.
Published under the directorship of Laurent Bélec, this book brings together a remarkable group of authors, each individually selected for his/her outstanding contribution to a given field.
It contains a summary of the research and problems encountered in the field of mucosally-transmitted HIV, intended not only for confirmed researchers but also for all HIV infection specialists and by extension, anyone curious to learn more about the disease.