-
Microbiology Spectrum Aug 2016Parasites are an important cause of human disease worldwide. The clinical severity and outcome of parasitic disease is often dependent on the immune status of the host.... (Review)
Review
Parasites are an important cause of human disease worldwide. The clinical severity and outcome of parasitic disease is often dependent on the immune status of the host. Specific parasitic diseases discussed in this chapter are amebiasis, giardiasis, cryptosporidiosis, cyclosporiasis, cystoisosporiasis, microsporidosis, granulomatous amebic encephalitis, toxoplasmosis, leishmaniasis, Chagas disease, malaria, babesiosis, strongyloidiasis, and scabies.
Topics: Animals; Humans; Parasites; Parasitic Diseases
PubMed: 27726821
DOI: 10.1128/microbiolspec.DMIH2-0013-2015 -
Nature Reviews. Immunology Feb 2015Type I interferons (IFNs) have diverse effects on innate and adaptive immune cells during infection with viruses, bacteria, parasites and fungi, directly and/or... (Review)
Review
Type I interferons (IFNs) have diverse effects on innate and adaptive immune cells during infection with viruses, bacteria, parasites and fungi, directly and/or indirectly through the induction of other mediators. Type I IFNs are important for host defence against viruses. However, recently, they have been shown to cause immunopathology in some acute viral infections, such as influenza virus infection. Conversely, they can lead to immunosuppression during chronic viral infections, such as lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus infection. During bacterial infections, low levels of type I IFNs may be required at an early stage, to initiate cell-mediated immune responses. High concentrations of type I IFNs may block B cell responses or lead to the production of immunosuppressive molecules, and such concentrations also reduce the responsiveness of macrophages to activation by IFNγ, as has been shown for infections with Listeria monocytogenes and Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Recent studies in experimental models of tuberculosis have demonstrated that prostaglandin E2 and interleukin-1 inhibit type I IFN expression and its downstream effects, demonstrating that a cross-regulatory network of cytokines operates during infectious diseases to provide protection with minimum damage to the host.
Topics: Animals; Bacterial Infections; Communicable Diseases; Humans; Interferon Type I; Mycoses; Parasitic Diseases; Signal Transduction; Virus Diseases
PubMed: 25614319
DOI: 10.1038/nri3787 -
Frontiers in Immunology 2021
Topics: Animals; Disease Vectors; Evolution, Molecular; Host-Parasite Interactions; Humans; Immune System; Parasitic Diseases
PubMed: 34367192
DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2021.729415 -
Mayo Clinic Proceedings Jun 2011Parasitic diseases affect more than 2 billion people globally and cause substantial morbidity and mortality, particularly among the world's poorest people. This overview... (Review)
Review
Parasitic diseases affect more than 2 billion people globally and cause substantial morbidity and mortality, particularly among the world's poorest people. This overview focuses on the treatment of the major protozoan and helminth infections in humans. Recent developments in antiparasitic therapy include the expansion of artemisinin-based therapies for malaria, new drugs for soil-transmitted helminths and intestinal protozoa, expansion of the indications for antiparasitic drug treatment in patients with Chagas disease, and the use of combination therapy for leishmaniasis and human African trypanosomiasis.
Topics: Amebiasis; Anthelmintics; Antiparasitic Agents; Antiprotozoal Agents; Cestode Infections; Chagas Disease; Drug Resistance; Giardiasis; Helminthiasis; Humans; Leishmaniasis; Malaria; Nematode Infections; Parasitic Diseases; Protozoan Infections; Toxoplasmosis; Trematode Infections; Trypanosomiasis, African
PubMed: 21628620
DOI: 10.4065/mcp.2011.0203 -
Microbiology Spectrum Jun 2016Gastrointestinal infections in the immunocompromised host are caused by the common bacterial, viral, fungal, and parasitic agents that also cause infections in the... (Review)
Review
Gastrointestinal infections in the immunocompromised host are caused by the common bacterial, viral, fungal, and parasitic agents that also cause infections in the immunocompetent host. Of special consideration is that immunocompromised patients may be at increased risk for infection or disease severity and by pathogens not seen in the competent host. This chapter reviews the various agents, risk factors, and diagnostic approaches to detect gastrointestinal infections in this patient population.
Topics: Bacterial Infections; Gastrointestinal Diseases; Humans; Immunocompromised Host; Mycoses; Opportunistic Infections; Parasitic Diseases; Virus Diseases
PubMed: 27337464
DOI: 10.1128/microbiolspec.DMIH2-0005-2015 -
Frontiers in Immunology 2020
Topics: Animals; Antibodies; Cellular Microenvironment; Humans; Hypersensitivity; Paraproteinemias; Parasitic Diseases; Phenotype; Plasma Cells; Time Factors
PubMed: 33193457
DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2020.606737 -
Lancet (London, England) May 1998
-
Immunologic Research Aug 2014Parasitic diseases are a serious global health concern. Many of the most common and most severe parasitic diseases, including Chagas' disease, leishmaniasis, and... (Review)
Review
Parasitic diseases are a serious global health concern. Many of the most common and most severe parasitic diseases, including Chagas' disease, leishmaniasis, and schistosomiasis, are also classified as neglected tropical diseases and are comparatively less studied than infectious diseases prevalent in high income nations. The NLRs (nucleotide-binding domain leucine-rich-repeat-containing proteins) are cytosolic proteins known to be involved in pathogen detection and host response. The role of NLRs in the host response to parasitic infection is just beginning to be understood. The NLR proteins NOD1 and NOD2 have been shown to contribute to immune responses during Trypanosoma cruzi infection, Toxoplasma gondii infection, and murine cerebral malaria. The NLRP3 inflammasome is activated by T. cruzi and Leishmania amazonensis but also induces pathology during infection with schistosomes or malaria. Both the NLRP1 and NLRP3 inflammasomes respond to T. gondii infection. The NLRs may play crucial roles in human immune responses during parasitic infection, usually acting as innate immune sensors and driving the inflammatory response against invading parasites. However, this inflammatory response can either kill the invading parasite or be responsible for destructive pathology. Therefore, understanding the role of the NLR proteins will be critical to understanding the host defense against parasites as well as the fine balance between homeostasis and parasitic disease.
Topics: Adaptor Proteins, Signal Transducing; Animals; Apoptosis Regulatory Proteins; Carrier Proteins; Humans; Inflammasomes; NLR Family, Pyrin Domain-Containing 3 Protein; NLR Proteins; Nod1 Signaling Adaptor Protein; Nod2 Signaling Adaptor Protein; Portraits as Topic; Protozoan Infections
PubMed: 24989828
DOI: 10.1007/s12026-014-8544-x -
Frontiers in Cellular and Infection... 2017Vaccination is an efficient means of combating infectious disease burden globally. However, routine vaccines for the world's major human parasitic diseases do not yet... (Review)
Review
Vaccination is an efficient means of combating infectious disease burden globally. However, routine vaccines for the world's major human parasitic diseases do not yet exist. Vaccines based on carbohydrate antigens are a viable option for parasite vaccine development, given the proven success of carbohydrate vaccines to combat bacterial infections. We will review the key components of carbohydrate vaccines that have remained largely consistent since their inception, and the success of bacterial carbohydrate vaccines. We will then explore the latest developments for both traditional and non-traditional carbohydrate vaccine approaches for three of the world's major protozoan parasitic diseases-malaria, toxoplasmosis, and leishmaniasis. The traditional prophylactic carbohydrate vaccine strategy is being explored for malaria. However, given that parasite disease biology is complex and often arises from host immune responses to parasite antigens, carbohydrate vaccines against deleterious immune responses in host-parasite interactions are also being explored. In particular, the highly abundant glycosylphosphatidylinositol molecules specific for , and spp. are considered exploitable antigens for this non-traditional vaccine approach. Discussion will revolve around the application of these protozoan carbohydrate antigens for vaccines currently in preclinical development.
Topics: Adjuvants, Immunologic; Animals; Antigens, Protozoan; Bacterial Vaccines; Carbohydrates; Glycosylphosphatidylinositols; Host-Parasite Interactions; Humans; Leishmania; Leishmaniasis; Malaria; Malaria Vaccines; Parasites; Parasitic Diseases; Plasmodium; Protozoan Vaccines; Toxoplasma; Toxoplasmosis; Vaccination
PubMed: 28660174
DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2017.00248 -
Emerging Infectious Diseases Oct 2013Chagas disease (infection by the protozoan Trypanosoma cruzi) is a major parasitic disease of the Americas and one of the main neglected tropical diseases. Although... (Review)
Review
Chagas disease (infection by the protozoan Trypanosoma cruzi) is a major parasitic disease of the Americas and one of the main neglected tropical diseases. Although various routes of transmission sre recognized, the risk for transmission of the infection through breast-feeding has not clearly been established. We reviewed the literature on transmission of T. cruzi through breast-feeding to provide breast-feeding mothers with Chagas disease with medical guidance. Although data from animal studies and human studies are scarce, we do not recommend that mothers with Chagas disease discontinue breast-feeding, unless they are experiencing the acute phase of the disease, reactivated disease resulting from immunosuppression, or bleeding nipples. In these cases, thermal treatment of milk before feeding the infant may be considered.
Topics: Animals; Breast Feeding; Chagas Disease; Female; Humans; Infectious Disease Transmission, Vertical; Milk, Human; Trypanosoma cruzi
PubMed: 24050257
DOI: 10.3201/eid1910.130203