[niecy]

Just another small reason why DOP diagnoses should be illegal until properly tested.


Niecy





Epidemiological and clinical interaction between H...[Parasite Immunol.... www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15771684
1 of 1 6/16/2008 2:05 PM
PMID: 15771684 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]
Epidemiological and clinical interaction between HTLV-1 and Strongyloides
stercoralis.
Carvalho EM, Da Fonseca Porto A.
Federal University of Bahia, Hospital Universitário Prof. Edgard Santos, Serviço de
Imunologia, Salvador-BA, Brazil. edgar@ufba.br
Strongyloides stercoralis is the most common human parasitic nematode that is
able to complete a life cycle and proliferate within its host. The majority of
patients with strongyloidiasis have an asymptomatic infection or mild disease.
However, when autoinfection occurs, a high number of infecting larvae can gain
access to the bloodstream by penetrating the colonic mucosa leading to a severe
hyperinfection and the development of disseminated strongyloidiasis. The human T
cell lymphotropic virus type 1 (HTLV-1) predominantly infects T cells and induces
spontaneous lymphocyte proliferation and secretion of high levels of type 1
cytokines. Strongyloides stercoralis patients with HTLV-1 co-infection have a
modified immunological responses against parasite antigens and co-infection has
clinical implications for strongyloidiasis. The high production of IFN-gamma
observed in patients co-infected with HTLV-1 and Strongyloides stercoralis
decreases the production of IL-4, IL-5, IL-13 and IgE, molecules that participate in
the host defence mechanism against helminths. Moreover, there is a decrease in
the efficacy of treatment of Strongyloides stercoralis in patients co-infected with
HTLV-1. Alterations in the immune response against Strongyloides stercoralis and
the decrease in the efficacy of anti-parasitic drugs are responsible for the
increased prevalence of Strongyloides stercoralis among HTLV-1 infected subjects
and make HTLV-1 infection the most important risk factor for disseminated
strongyloidiasis.
1: Parasite Immunol. 2004 Nov-Dec;26(11-12):487-97.