Place de l'immunostimulation dans la therapeutique anti-infectieuseTherapeutic use of immunostimulants against infections

An increasing number of substances is capable of potentiating immune responses. These can be grouped into several categories: bacterial products, leucocyte extracts (transfer factor, interferon) thymic hormones and synthetic drugs (levamisole). Their therapeutic use against infections is still uncommon for several reasons. First, the immunostimulants, particularly the bacterial extracts have many toxic side-effects. Second, most of them have not been obtained under pure and chemically-characterized form. Third the mechanisms of immunostimulation are not completely understood and depending on the route and the timing of injection, the immunostimulants can exhibit suppressive activities. For these reasons a larger use of immunostimulant substances requires purified or synthetic materials, careful experimental and clinical analysis of their effects and rigorous indications. These conditions are already fulfilled for some immunostimulants especially in immunodeficient virus-infected patients.