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Iron Deficiency and Anemia Associated with Infectious and Inflammatory Diseases

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Nutritional Anemia

Part of the book series: Nutrition and Health ((NH))

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Abstract

A balanced iron metabolism is of major importance for all living organisms. During infection and inflammation, iron homeostasis undergoes subtle alterations that are based on host defense mechanisms against invading pathogens. Depending on the nature, and cell- or tissue-specific localization of such microbes, divergent alterations of iron homeostasis occur in order to restrict iron from pathogens. Anemia, termed as anemia of inflammation (AI), develops as a consequence of iron disturbances in the setting of infection and inflammation. The major mechanisms that lead to AI pathogenesis are iron-restricted erythropoiesis, immunity-driven reduction of erythrocyte half-life, an impaired biological activity of the red cell hormone erythropoietin (EPO), and direct antiproliferative effects of cytokines on erythroid progenitors. AI is considered the second most frequent anemic entity worldwide and the leading cause of anemia in hospitalized patients, affecting more than one billion people worldwide. This chapter discusses the pathophysiological background, diagnosis, and treatment of iron deficiency and anemia in the setting of infectious and inflammatory diseases.

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Author notes

  1. Alexander Hoffmann and Lara Valente de Souza contributed equally with all other contributors.

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Internal Medicine II, Infectious Diseases, Immunology, Rheumatology, Medical University of Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria

    Alexander Hoffmann, Lara Valente de Souza & Günter Weiss

  2. Christian Doppler Laboratory for Iron Metabolism and Anemia Research, Medical University of Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria

    Alexander Hoffmann, Lara Valente de Souza & Günter Weiss

Authors
  1. Alexander Hoffmann
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  2. Lara Valente de Souza
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  3. Günter Weiss
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Correspondence to Günter Weiss .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Human Nutrition, The University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada

    Crystal D. Karakochuk

  2. Institute of Food Nutrition and Health, ETH Zurich, Zürich, Zürich, Switzerland

    Michael B. Zimmermann

  3. Department of Health, University of Applied Sciences of South Switzerland (SUPSI) and Swiss Distance University of Applied Sciences (FFHS), Zürich, Zürich, Switzerland

    Diego Moretti

  4. International Health, Sight and Life Foundation and Johns Hopkins School of Public Health, Basel, Switzerland

    Klaus Kraemer

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Hoffmann, A., Valente de Souza, L., Weiss, G. (2022). Iron Deficiency and Anemia Associated with Infectious and Inflammatory Diseases. In: Karakochuk, C.D., Zimmermann, M.B., Moretti, D., Kraemer, K. (eds) Nutritional Anemia. Nutrition and Health. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-14521-6_17

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-14521-6_17

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