@article{FERNANDES_Chaquisse_Ferrão_2020, title={HIV and the Antiviral Role of Mushroom Nutraceuticals}, volume={8}, url={https://journals.scholarpublishing.org/index.php/AIVP/article/view/8650}, DOI={10.14738/aivp.83.8650}, abstractNote={<p><em>Mushrooms, environment and human health are interconnected. Mushrooms’ essential role in the environment and bioremediation have attracted market attention because they are also a potential source of bioactive compounds able to perform several functions in organisms with benefits for the health of the consumer. The HIV/AIDS epidemic poses an inescapable challenge to the world at large and to Africa in particular and more specifically in Mozambique. A brief outline of the historical background discusses the present knowledge of mushrooms containing antiviral factors. Antiviral factors generally do not destroy their target pathogen; rather, they inhibit the development or reproduction of the virus. Administration of mushrooms, also used as dietary supplement extracts or biomass, supplies active immunoceuticals that may block virus cell-to-cell infection, modify viral receptors, prevent the adhesion of the virus to lymphocytes and stimulate interferon which has a general antiviral effect production and may inhibit HIV infection. Current strategies in the therapy of AIDS include antiretroviral drugs and complementary nutritional support considered beneficial. Nutrition is a fundamental part of a comprehensive package of care for people living with HIV/AIDS and mushrooms supply known bioactive molecules that may help HIV positive patients.</em></p>}, number={3}, journal={European Journal of Applied Sciences}, author={FERNANDES, Prof Dr Tito and Chaquisse, Eusébio and Ferrão, Jorge}, year={2020}, month={Jun.}, pages={64–100} }