Herd immunity and the HIV epidemic.

Abstract

Background. Herd immunity describes the collective immunocompetence of a population and its ability to resist disease. The diseases of mycobacteria, salmonella, hepatitis A, cryptosporidia, syphilis, measles, influenza, and numerous others recently have been seen in epidemic proportions in the United States. An association between these superimposed secondary infections and the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) epidemic can be made since the HIV's imposition on individual immunity has ramifications on a population level through a decline in herd immunity. Conclusion. Exploring these epidemic phenomena as consequential to a reduction in herd immunity can provide a unifying hypothesis to explain existing and predict future infectious disease epidemic dynamics. The benefits of acting upon these implications has advantages for both the HIV infected and the uninfected.