Aging, Immunity, and Infection / Edition 1

by Joseph F. Albright, Julia W. Albright

Overview

The preparation of Aging, Immunity, and Infection has been a "labor of labor. " When we began, there existed a huge literature-but manage­ able, we thought, given our years of experience in the area often referred to as immunogerontology. However, in the time that we have been at work, the new relevant literature has increased at a prodigious rate. The more we read and tried to assimilate, the farther we fell behind. In order to have any hope of completing a book on this rapidly evolving topic, we have been forced to become increasingly selective in covering new and re cent publications. We dare to hope that many read­ ers will find the book useful and only a few will dweIl on the inevitable inadequacies. We consider the book a work in progress, and welcome suggestions for future editions. Five chapters cover several aspects of infection and the decline of immunity with age. The first chapter "Human Aging: Present and Future," is devoted to demographics and theories of senescence. Chap­ ter 2 outlines the gradual breakdown of resistance to infection in the aged individual. Chapters 3 and 4 cover changes in innate and acquired immunity. The final chapter, "Nutrition, Longevity, and Integrity of the Immune System," discusses such provocative ideas as life-span extension and nutritional intervention for the delay of immunosenescence.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780896036444
Publisher:	Springer-Verlag New York, LLC
Publication date:	06/16/2003
Series:	Infectious Disease
Edition description:	2003
Pages:	242
Product dimensions:	6.10(w) x 9.25(h) x 0.02(d)

Table of Contents

1 Human Aging: Present and Future.- Demographics.- Infectious Diseases of the Aging.- Limits on Life Expectancy and Future Prospects.- Theories of Senescence.- Summary.- References.- 2 Aging and Altered Resistance to Infection.- Relatively Common Bacterial Infections of Aging Humans.- Selected Examples of Age-Associated Susceptibility to Bacterial Infections.- Bacterial Interactions with Mucosal Surfaces.- Antibiotic Resistance and Bacterial Variation.- Viral Infections in Aging Humans.- Protozoan Parasites in Aging Subjects.- Fungal Infections in Aging Subjects.- Summary.- References.- 3 Senescence of Natural/Innate Resistance to Infection.- Pattern Recognizing Receptors of Innate Immunity.- Phagocytic Cells: Monocytes/Macrophages.- Microbial Evasion of Phagocytic Destruction.- Age-Related Changes in Macrophages.- Phagocytic Cells: Neutrophils.- Natural Killer/Lymphokine-Activated Killer Cells.- Summary.- References.- 4 Aging of Adaptive/Acquired Immunity.- Aging of the Thymus and Thymus-Derived (T) Cells.- The Functions and Diversity of Peripheral T Cells.- Summary: Known and Cognizable Effects of Aging T Cells.- Differentiation, Functions, and Aging of B Cells.- Summary.- References.- 5 Nutrition, Longevity, and Integrity of the Immune System.- RCI-Mediated Delay of Immunosenescence.- How Does RCI Promote Life-Span Extension?.- Dietary Restriction vs Malnutrition.- References.- Epilogue.

Editorial Reviews

Reviewer: David O. Staats, MD (University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center)
Description: This book is authored by two researchers who review the relationships among aging processes, immune function, and the nature of infections in older persons.
Purpose: The purpose is to review mechanisms of aging, changes in immunity with aging, and combine these to show how the nature of infectious diseases changes with aging. These are worthy objectives, and the authors do a credible job of reviewing and synthesizing the field.
Audience: This book is primarily aimed at research scientists in the areas of aging, immunity, and infectious diseases. This is not a handbook of infections in older persons, but a scientific review. Both authors are experienced researchers in the areas they cover.
Features: The book is divided into several sections: the aging process, aging's effect on patterns of resistance to infection, age-related changes in immune function, acquired immunity's changes with aging, nutrition and its effect on aging, and a most interesting epilogue that which ties the entire book together.
Assessment: This is a forward-looking book. The two authors provide their synthesis of a very broad and dense field in most interesting ways. Their writing is elegant and annotated. That they can interpolate research and comments made 20 years ago into what is being discovered today is a manifestation of their excellent mastery of the area. They bring it all together in the last chapter by describing what they think would be interesting areas of research in the future. The comments about how caloric restriction may work in the body's resistance to infectious diseases, and the relationship of the gut to overall immune function are profound and insightful. How refreshing it is to see a really good example of scientific writing and thinking.

Doody's Review Service

"This is a forward-looking book. The two authors provide their synthesis of a very broad and dense field in most interesting ways. Their writing is elegant and annotated. That they can interpolate research and comments made 20 years ago into what is being discovered today is a manifestation of their excellent mastery of the area. They bring it all together in the last chapter by describing what they think would be interesting areas of research in the future. The comments about how caloric restriction may work in the body's resistance to infectious diseases, and the relationship of the gut to overall immune function are profound and insightful. How refreshing it is to see a really good example of scientific writing and thinking." -Doody's Health Sciences Book Review Journal

"This book thoroughly reviews bacterial and viral infections, the innate and adaptive immune responses that occur in infection, and the effect of age on infection. This book is also a good review of host-pathogen interactions, even for those not interested in age-related defects in immune function." -American College of Physicians

From the Publisher

3 Stars from Doody