IMMUNOLOGY - Roitt A. - Mir 2000

Chapter 18. Immunity to Parasitic Infections

VACCINES

Several Vaccines using attenuated live parasites have been successfully tested in veterinary practice. However, there are currently no vaccines available for human parasitic diseases, although intensive research is underway to develop them, particularly malaria and Schistosomiasis vaccines. Clinical trials of anti-malarial vaccines based on combinations of potential protective Peptides have been initiated (see Ch. 1).

Questions for Structure/133.html">Discussion

■ Parasites are well adapted to surviving within the host. What is the evidence for effective Immunity against them?

■ What is the difference between defense mechanisms in non-immune and immune hosts?

■ What is meant by the stage-Specificity of immunity to a particular phase of a parasite's life cycle, and what causes this specificity?

■ Why is T-Cell activity important in parasitic diseases and how can it contribute to their exacerbation? How do T lymphocytes help expel intestinal helminths?

■ How do the cytokines TNFα and IFNγ affect parasite survival?

■ What is the difference between defense mechanisms against intracellular and extracellular parasites?

■ How do Protozoa parasitizing within macrophages avoid destruction by Enzymes and other cytotoxic molecules?

■ How do parasites residing in the Blood or Body Fluids evade the Immune Response?

■ How do parasites trigger immunopathological reactions?

Introduction/47.html">Further Reading

Butterworth А.Е. 1994. Human immunity to schistosomes: some questions. Parasitol. Today 10: 378-379.

Clark I.A., Rockett K.A. 1996. Nitric oxide and parasitic disease. Adv. Parasitol. 37: 1-58.

Maizels R.M., Bundy D.A.P., Selkirk M.E. et al. 1993. Immunological modulation and evasion by helminth parasites in human populations. Nature 365. 797-804.

Reiner S.L., Locksley R.M. 1995. The regulation of immunity to Leishmania major. Annu. Rev. Immunol. 13: 51-177.

Russel D.G. 1995. Leishmania and Mycobacterium: Stowaways in the endosomal network. Trends Cell Biology 5: 125-128.

Internet Addresses:

Information can be found in various sections of the web, even those not specifically dedicated to immunology. They can be accessed using keywords. Several seminar sites are available on Bionet; for example, information can be obtained at http./www/bio.net (parasitology seminar mailing list).