NEUROPATHOLOGY AND BRAIN DEVELOPMENT IN PEDIATRIC AIDS

人类免疫缺陷病毒（艾滋病毒）除了对人类健康产生深远影响外， 免疫系统已经显示出产生原发性和持续性的 中枢神经系统（CNC）感染 进行性脑病这种感染的后遗症是 尤其是在儿童年龄组中。HIV感染 婴儿和儿童导致小头畸形和脑萎缩。 儿科艾滋病患者的中枢神经系统感染是罕见的。的机制 细胞损伤和中枢神经系统中的细胞群， 艾滋病病毒的危害还不清楚。本研究的目的是 定义艾滋病毒感染对发达国家和发展中国家的影响， 脑;定义CNS萎缩/小头畸形的程度;并确定 在儿科艾滋病中哪些脑细胞群受到影响。大脑 从感染艾滋病毒的艾滋病婴儿和儿童尸检中获得 无论是在子宫内，或出生后通过输血或与血液 产品，和非艾滋病年龄匹配的对照病例的大脑将 进行神经病理学评估。组织学、体视学、形态测量学 并将使用免疫细胞化学方法。从这个信息 这项研究将有助于更好地了解艾滋病毒的影响 感染发育中的人脑，为了更好的临床- 儿科艾滋病中HIV脑病的病理学定义。

Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) in addition to its profound effect on the immune system has been shown to produce a primary and persistent infection of the Central Nervous System (CNC) with relentlessly progressive encephalopathy. The sequelae of this infection are particularly devastating in the pediatric age group. HIV infection in infants and children leads to microcephaly and brain atrophy. Opportunistic CNS infections in pediatric AIDS are rare. The mechanisms of cellular damage and the cell population in the CNS which is primarily damaged by HIV are still not known. The objective of this study is to define the effect of HIV infection on a developed and on a developing brain; to define the extent of CNS atrophy/microcephaly; and to determine which brain cell populations are affected in pediatric AIDS. Brains obtained at autopsy from infants and children with AIDS infected with HIV either in utero, or postnatally by blood transfusion or with blood products, and the brains from non-AIDS age-matched control cases will be evaluated neuropathologically. Histological, stereological, morphometric and immunocytochemical methods will be used. The information from this study will contribute to a better understanding of the effect of HIV infection of the developing human brain and for better clinico- pathological definition of HIV encephalopathy in pediatric AIDS.