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Helminths at mucosal barriers--interaction with the immune system
Grace Mulcahy1, Sandra O'Neill, Sheila Donnelly
1Department of Veterinary Microbiology and Parasitology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine and Conway Institute, University College Dublin, Belfield, Dublin 4, Ireland. grace.mulcahy@ucd.ie
Advanced Drug Delivery Reviews
|April 6, 2004
Summary
Helminth parasites cause significant disease and economic losses. While vaccines face challenges, understanding their complex immune interactions is crucial for developing new control strategies against drug-resistant helminth infections.
Area of Science:
- Parasitology
- Immunology
- Veterinary Medicine
Background:
- Helminth parasites cause substantial morbidity, mortality, and economic losses in humans and animals.
- Most helminths infect hosts orally, residing on mucosal surfaces or migrating through tissues.
- Helminths typically induce T-helper 2 (Th2) immune responses, effective against mucosal parasites but less so against tissue-dwelling ones.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review the challenges and prospects of developing immunoprophylactic strategies against helminth infections.
- To discuss the complexities of helminth-induced immune responses and their implications for host immunity.
- To explore the potential role of helminth absence in early life regarding autoimmune pathology.
Main Methods:
- Literature review of helminth-host interactions and immune responses.
- Analysis of current control strategies, including chemotherapy and vaccine development hurdles.
- Examination of recent evidence on helminth infection's impact on host immunity and autoimmune development.
Main Results:
- Chemotherapy remains the primary control method, but drug resistance is a growing concern.
- Development of effective helminth vaccines is hampered by technical difficulties and regulatory challenges.
- Strongly polarized Th2 responses, while protective against some helminths, can impair immunity to other pathogens.
- Absence of helminth infection in early life may predispose to autoimmune diseases.
Conclusions:
- Novel immunoprophylactic strategies are needed due to increasing drug resistance in helminth populations.
- Overcoming technical and regulatory barriers is essential for successful helminth vaccine implementation.
- The dual role of helminths in causing disease and potentially protecting against autoimmunity requires careful consideration in control strategies.