Introduction

Mucosal tissues are targets for numerous avenues of investigation in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)—related research, including the induction of protective mucosal immunity via vaccination or immunization, the study of virus transmission through mucosal surfaces, the characterization of acute HIV infection in the mucosal lymphoid cells, the induction of pathogenesis via infection and cell death in mucosal tissues, and the changes in HIV infection due to mucosal opportunistic infections. Thus, in virtually every stage of HIV infection, from prevention to chronic HIV infection, mucosal cells are important targets for study.

To further elucidate the increasingly important role of mucosal cells, secretions, and immunity in HIV infection, the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases and cosponsors held a meeting entitled “HIV-1 Infection, Mucosal Immunity, and Pathogenesis” on the National Institutes of Health campus on 11–13 September 1997. There was broad support from both government and industry, emphasizing the importance of the mucosa in HIV infection. The conference organizers—Sharon M. Wahl, Philip D. Smith, and Edward N. Janoff—spent long hours planning a comprehensive meeting, which included sessions on Mucosal Transmission, Primate Models of Transmission and Disease, Mucosal Cells and Tropism, Viral Tropism, Mucosal Defense and HIV-1, Pathogenesis of Opportunistic Mucosal Pathogens, and Mucosal Immunity and Vaccination.

More than 400 registrants attended the meeting, attesting to the interest in the subject and in the comprehensive program, which featured 36 speakers and 68 poster presentations on topics such as HIV transmission and disease as replicated by animal models, mucosal cells and tropism, mucosal defense, immunity and vaccination, and gastrointestinal pathogenesis. The articles that follow are selected proceedings of the conference, which were designed and published to promote discussions among both clinicians and scientists and to further stimulate ideas and novel research in HIV-1 infection, mucosal immunity, and pathogenesis.