Host-Pathogen Interactions in Immunocompromised States: A Comparative Study of Veterinary and HIV/AIDS Microbiology

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to compare the host–pathogen interactions in immunocompromised conditions, particularly human immunodeficiency virus/acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (HIV/AIDS) and veterinary lentiviral infections, such as feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV) and simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV). We adopted the Damage-Response Framework as the main paradigm to investigate immune vulnerabilities, evasion strategies of pathogens, clinical disease manifestation, and treatment approaches across species. Our review highlights a “mucosal catastrophe” with selective depletion of cluster of differentiation 4-positive T helper 17 and T helper 22 cells in gut-associated lymphoid tissue, resulting in gut barrier disruption, translocation of bacteria, and systemic chronic inflammation. Pathogens have sophisticated evasion strategies, including latent reservoir establishment, antigenic drift, restriction factor evasion, and immune checkpoint subversion. Zoonotic opportunistic pathogens (Cryptosporidium species, Toxoplasma gondii, Mycobacterium avium, Rhodococcus equi) are a serious concern for vulnerable human populations. The study is limited by the veterinary literature for non-lentiviral diseases and variable designs, which preclude quantitative meta-analysis. We conclude that veterinary models have been directly translated into human therapies, such as tenofovir and the feline immunodeficiency virus vaccine. Implications include integrated One Health surveillance networks, translational therapeutic studies, and the breakdown of academic silos between human and veterinary medicine to improve global public health and outcomes for immunocompromised hosts.