Suboptimal Immune Reconstitution in Vertically HIV Infected Children: A View on How HIV Replication and Timing of HAART Initiation Can Impact on T and B-cell Compartment

Today, HIV-infected children who have access to treatment face a chronic rather than a progressive and fatal disease. As a result, new challenges are emerging in the field. Recent lines of evidence outline several factors that can differently affect the ability of the immune system to fully reconstitute and to mount specific immune responses in children receiving HAART. In this paper, we review the underlying mechanisms of immune reconstitution after HAART initiation among vertically HIV-infected children analyzing the possible causes of suboptimal responses.