Aging, Immunity, and Infection

• 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.

"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