Schistosoma and Leishmania: An Untold Story of Coinfection

A remarkable characteristic of infectious diseases classified as Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTDs) is the fact that they are mostly transmitted in tropical and subtropical regions with poor conditions sanitation low access to healthcare, which makes transmission areas more likely overlap. Two most important NTDs, schistosomiasis leishmaniasis, despite being caused by very different etiological agents, have their pathogenesis heavily associated immune-mediated mechanisms, Schistosoma spp. Leishmania been shown simultaneously infect humans. Still, consequences Schistosoma–Leishmania coinfections remain underexplored. As inflammatory processes elicited each one these parasites can influence other, several changes observed due this coinfection naturally infected humans, experimental models, vitro cell assays, including modifications susceptibility infection, pathogenesis, prognostic, response treatment. Herein, we review current knowledge both human populations special regard how affects tegumentary discuss future perspectives, suggest a few steps further improve our understanding model parasite–host–parasite interaction.