Human immune responses to lymphatic filariasis in Papua New Guinea

The following review highlights our current knowledge about the host immune response to lymphatic filariasis. Our understanding of how the host immune response influences the risk of developing disease has changed dramatically over the past decade. Previously the spectrum of disease associated with lymphatic filariasis was largely attributed to the nature of the host immune response. Now we appreciate that the duration and intensity of infection and possibly the direct influence of parasite-derived molecules also determine the risk of disease. The review highlights recent studies examining the influence of transmission intensity on the host immune response, and how this might be mediated by defects in antigen-presenting cell function, and also the role of basophils and mast cells.