Nutricion y sist. inmune

Nutrition
Ranjit Kumar

and the
Chandra Nutrition is

immune

system:

an introduction3

ABSTRACT responses and

a critical the most

determinant common cause

of of

immune

complement,

lysozyme,

interferon, are with and

and

other

humoral not act

factors. influas the overt cellac-

malnutrition

deficiency worldwide. Protein-energy malnutrition is witha significant impairment of cell-mediated immunity, cyte antibody single
observed

immuno- These associated enced phago- first

innate processes by prior contact line of protection Antigen-specific antibody immunity.

naturally present and are the infectious agent. They retard mechanisms and mechanisms the the establishment includehe t T cell are B cell system adaptive

of sysof andfunction,

complement

system,

secretory

immunoglobulin

A infection. of tem of is mediated

concentrations, nutrients also even when zinc;

and cytokine production. Deficiency results in altered immune responses: this the deficiency iron: important obesity
a prolonged

production These

state

micronutrients,

selenium: have and
have

B-6; and folic acid sponses.Overnutnition
birth-weight infants

the quired in that they are specific reactions induced by prior to the microorganism on its antigenic determinants. copper; vitamins A, C, E, andexposure They are effective in checking the spread of infection and influences on immune nealso reduce immunity. Low- eradicating the invading organism. The specific immune responses form the basis of prophylacticimmunization against impairment of cell-mediated extra amounts can be enhanced These significance. of common illness by find- caused specific communicable caused byHemophilus by Salmonella. defenses act diseases such as measles, influenza, and systemic nonspecific and respiratory disease antigen-

is relatively

mild.

Of

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immunity thatcan be partly dietary zinc. In the elderly. modest
ings Ant J have Cliii

restored impaired
practical and

by providing immunity

amounts Nuir

of

a combination

considerable
I 997;66:460S-3S.

of micronutnients. public health

In the body, in concert.

KEY fants.

WORDS elderly

Protein-energy immunity.

malnutrition,

immunity, low-birth-weight in-

PROTEIN-ENERGYLymphoid malnutrition reduced. differentiation; atrophy (PEM). Histologically, there

MALNUTRITION is a dramatic The size and are there fewer feature weight of protein-energy of the thymus corticomedullary and the Hassall calcified. in pri(14, small thymusDeand to These well. The therapy reduction in part to in a

cell-mediated

micronutrients.

are

INTRODUCTION It is now generallyaccepted that nutrition is an important

is a loss of lymphoid cells;

bodies These

are enlarged. changes are

degenerated, and easily differentiated such a loss and show areas as DiGeorge of lymphoid in

occasionally from findings

determinant data suggest tence and

of immune responses. Epidemiologic that nutritional deficiencies alter increase the risk of infection. Poorovercrowding. contaminated nutrition knowledge contribute in the past 25 y has confirmed

and clinical many immunity deficiency, 15). In PEM there is also immunocompesanitation and blood vessels most are in paracortical the spleen food and water, dependent to this suscepIn PEM that impaired

syndrome cells around nodes of are the impaired. lymphocytes.

lymph depletion

personal hygiene. andinadequate tibility. Work done
is

host-defense cutaneous markedly to

mechanisms responses depressed. of

immunity
infection. developing tions of disorders, diseases. further

a critical adjunct factor in malnutrition-associated This concept applies not only to young children countries world. patients list and of but also including with reviews citations to all age the elderly, of groups...