Experimental human hookworm infection: therapeutic potential

Impact of Experimental Hookworm Infection on the Human Gut Microbiota

The interactions between gastrointestinal parasitic helminths and commensal bacteria are likely to play a pivotal role in the establishment of host-parasite cross-talk, ultimately shaping the development of the intestinal immune system. However, little information is available on the impact of infections by gastrointestinal helminths on the bacterial communities inhabiting the human gut. We use...

Experimental human infection with the dog hookworm, Ancylostoma caninum.

OBJECTIVE To investigate possible routes for human infection by the dog hookworm (Ancylostoma caninum). DESIGN, SETTING AND PARTICIPANT: Relatively small numbers of infective larvae were administered orally and percutaneously to an informed healthy volunteer (J K L) under medical supervision, at intervals between May 1998 and May 1999. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES Symptoms; weekly blood eosinophil c...

Hookworm Infection

Experimental hookworm infection: a randomized placebo-controlled trial in asthma

BACKGROUND Epidemiological studies suggest that hookworm infection protects against asthma, and therefore that hookworm infection may have a direct or an indirect therapeutic potential in this disease. We now report the first clinical trial of experimental hookworm infection in people with allergic asthma. OBJECTIVES To determine the effects of experimental hookworm infection in asthma. MET...

Characterising the Mucosal and Systemic Immune Responses to Experimental Human Hookworm Infection

The mucosal cytokine response of healthy humans to parasitic helminths has never been reported. We investigated the systemic and mucosal cytokine responses to hookworm infection in experimentally infected, previously hookworm naive individuals from non-endemic areas. We collected both peripheral blood and duodenal biopsies to assess the systemic immune response, as well as the response at the s...