The developing immune system: Impact of maternal HIV-1 and cART on the infant

The combined data generated in this thesis indicate that the developing immune system is already complex in the early beginning of life, with potential for interaction with the mother as well as tissue-specific functionality. In the context of HIV-1, this complexity is illustrated by different mechanisms responsible for mother-to-child transmission (MTCT) of HIV-1 and the effects of combination antiretroviral therapy (cART) and maternal HIV-1 infection in the infant. Further unravelling of these processes is necessary to design safe and optimally effective strategies to prevent MTCT of the virus and to treat pediatric infectious diseases in general.