Vitamin D and HIV Infection: A Systematic Review

 Vitamin D and HIV Infection: A Systematic Review

The Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) infects human T cells, causing a disease that progressively leads to a dramatic deterioration of the immune function. The Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS) is present when CD4+ cell count is below 200 cells/mm3 or the patient has an opportunist infection, such as esophageal candidiasis or Pneumocystis pneumonia. Since life expectancy of HIV-infected individuals has increased, mostly as a result of advances in diagnosis and treatment, they are more willing to develop long-term chronic complications, some of which have been associated with vitamin D deficiency.