Kang Nathan, Subramanian Veedamali S, Agrawal Anshu
Division of Basic and Clinical Immunology, Department of Medicine, University of California Irvine, Irvine, CA 92697, USA.
Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Medicine, University of California Irvine, Irvine, CA 92697, USA.
Pathogens. 2025 Jan 8;14(1):41. doi: 10.3390/pathogens14010041.
Pneumonia is a common respiratory infection affecting individuals of all ages, with a significantly higher incidence among the elderly. As the aging population grows, pneumonia is expected to become an increasingly critical health concern. In non-institutionalized elderly individuals, the annual incidence ranges from 25 to 44 per 1000, approximately four times higher than in those under 65. , a Gram-positive diplococcus, is the leading cause of pneumonia-related deaths in older adults. Management of infections in the elderly is challenging due to impaired antibody responses to polysaccharides and surface proteins, compounded by rising antibiotic resistance. The underlying mechanisms for increased susceptibility remain unclear, but age-related changes in the immune system, particularly in dendritic cells and T cells, are implicated. This review explores how aging-related immune alterations contribute to the heightened vulnerability of the elderly to infections.
肺炎是一种常见的呼吸道感染疾病，影响各年龄段的人群，在老年人中发病率显著更高。随着老年人口的增加，肺炎预计将成为一个日益关键的健康问题。在非机构化的老年人中，年发病率为每1000人中有25至44例，约为65岁以下人群的四倍。肺炎链球菌，一种革兰氏阳性双球菌，是老年人肺炎相关死亡的主要原因。由于对多糖和表面蛋白的抗体反应受损，再加上抗生素耐药性不断上升，老年人感染的管理具有挑战性。易感性增加的潜在机制尚不清楚，但免疫系统的年龄相关变化，特别是树突状细胞和T细胞的变化，与之有关。本综述探讨了与衰老相关的免疫改变如何导致老年人对肺炎链球菌感染的易感性增加。
