Helminth immunology is a field which has changed beyond recognition in the past 30 years, transformed not only by new technologies from cDNA cloning to flow cytometry, but also conceptually as our definition of host immune pathways has matured. The molecular revolution defined key nematode surface and secreted antigens, and identified candidate immunomodulators that are likely to underpin paras...

HELMINTH DEFENCE MOLECULES (HDMs)—ANTIMICROBIALS OR IMMUNOMODULATORS? Parasitic helminths (worms) are one of the most successful animal groups in nature. They are large multicellular organisms and therefore cannot penetrate host cells but must reside inside tissue or organs. They infect over 1 billion people globally, mostly in tropical/sub-tropical regions, taking an enormous toll on animal an...

The European shore crab, Carcinus maenas, is one of the most successful marine invasive species. Its success has been in part attributed to the loss of parasites, rekindling an interest in host-parasite interactions and impacts on host fitness in this crab. In the present study, we investigated C. maenas populations from Europe, South Africa and Australia for parasites, and assessed their impac...

There are strong biological, evolutionary and immunological arguments for predicting extensive polymorphism among helminth parasites, but relatively little data and few instances from which the selective forces acting on parasite diversity can be discerned. The paucity of information on intraspecific variation stands in contrast to the fine detail with which helminth species have been delineate...

The faeces of 82 donkeys irrespective of sex and age were collected and examined for any parasitic ova. The faecal sample of68 donkeys were infected with: Strongylus sp. (54.87%), Parascaris sp. (29.26%), Strongyloides sp. (24.39%), Trichonema sp. (15.85%), Oxyuris sp. (8.53%), Gastrodiscus sp. (8.53%), Entamoeba sp. (8.53%), Dictyocaulus sp. (3.65%), and Triodontophorus sp. (2.43%).

background: wild boars, sus scrofa , of wide distribution considered as a potential source of zoonotic parasites. the current study aimed to assess the prevalence of helminth infections in wild boars in the persian gulf coastal area (bushehr province), southwestern iran. methods: twenty-five wild boars, including 11 males and 14 females, were collected during a course of vertebrate pest control...

Co-infections can alter the host immune responses and modify the intensity and dynamics of concurrent parasitic species. The extent of this effect depends on the properties of the system and the mechanisms of host-parasite and parasite-parasite interactions. We examined the immuno-epidemiology of a chronic co-infection to reveal the immune mediated relationships between two parasites colonising...

Parasitic infection is highly allergenic, and the present paper illustrates how parasites might disrupt the regulation of IgE synthesis, resulting in heightened Th-2 responses. The study of parasites, and dysregulation of the IgE network, could in turn provide information relating to the aetiology of allergic diseases such as asthma and atopic dermatitis.

The maintenance of sex is an unresolved paradox in evolutionary biology, given the inherent twofold fitness advantage for asexuals. Parasitic helminths offer a unique opportunity to address this enigma. Parasites that can create novel antigenic strains are able to escape pre-existing host immunity. Viruses produce diversity through mutation with rapid clonal proliferation. The long generation t...