Abstract
The mechanisms of protective immunity to parasite infections in humans are still elusive. Here, Woolhouse and Hagan discuss new evidence suggesting that the extremely slow development of acquired immunity to human schistosomes may depend on exposure to antigens from these worms after they die.
This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution
Relevant articles
Open Access articles citing this article.
-
New approaches to measuring anthelminthic drug efficacy: parasitological responses of childhood schistosome infections to treatment with praziquantel
Parasites & Vectors Open Access 27 January 2016
-
Clinico-epidemiological study of Schistosomiasis mansoni in Waja-Timuga, District of Alamata, northern Ethiopia
Parasites & Vectors Open Access 01 April 2014
-
Field transmission intensity of Schistosoma japonicum measured by basic reproduction ratio from modified Barbour’s model
Parasites & Vectors Open Access 16 May 2013
Access options
Subscribe to this journal
Receive 12 print issues and online access
$209.00 per year
only $17.42 per issue
Rent or buy this article
Prices vary by article type
from$1.95
to$39.95
Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout
References
Fisher, A.C. A study of schistosomiasis in the Stanleyville district of Congo. Trans. R. Soc. Trop. Med. Hyg. 28, 277–306 (1934).
Hagan, P. et al. Human IgE, IgG4 and resistance to reinfection with Schistosoma haematobium. Nature 349, 243–245 (1991).
Woolhouse, M.E.J. et al. Acquired immunity and epidemiology of Schistosoma haematobium. Nature 351, 757–759 (1991).
Anderson, R.M. & May, R.M. Herd immunity to helminth infection and implications for parasite control. Nature 315, 493–496 (1985).
Woolhouse, M.E.J. Patterns in parasite epidemiology: the peak shift. Parasitol. Today 14, 428–434 (1998).
Mutapi, F. et al. A comparison of humoral responses to Schistosoma haematobium in areas with low and high levels of infection. Parasite Immunol. 19, 255–263 (1997).
Butterworth, A.E. et al. Human immunity to Schistosoma mansoni: observations on mechanisms, and implications for control. Immunol. Invest. 21, 391–407 (1992).
van Dam, G.J. et al. Antibody response patterns against Schistosoma mansoni in a recently exposed community in Senegal. J. Inf. Dis. 173, 1232–1241 (1996).
Maizels, R.M. et al. Immunological modulation and evasion by helminth parasites in human populations. Nature 365, 797–805 (1993).
Grogan, J.L. et al. Antischistosome IgG4 and IgE responses are affected differentially by chemotherapy in children versus adults. J. Inf. Dis. 173, 1242–1247 (1996).
Mutapi, F. et al. Chemotherapy accelerates the development of acquired immune responses to Schistosoma haematobium infection. J. Inf. Dis. 178, 289–293 (1998).
Mutapi, F. et al. Changes in specific anti-egg antibody levels following treatment with praziquantel for Schistosoma haematobium infection in children. Parasite Immunol. 20, 595–600 (1998).
Acknowledgements
We thank S. Chandiwana, P. Ndhlovu, F. Mutapi, J. Kusel and the staff of the Blair Research Laboratory, Harare for their contributions to the work discussed here. The authors thank the European Commission, The Royal Society and the World Health Organization for support.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Woolhouse, M., Hagan, P. Seeking the ghost of worms past. Nat Med 5, 1225–1227 (1999). https://doi.org/10.1038/15169
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/15169
This article is cited by
-
New approaches to measuring anthelminthic drug efficacy: parasitological responses of childhood schistosome infections to treatment with praziquantel
Parasites & Vectors (2016)
-
Clinico-epidemiological study of Schistosomiasis mansoni in Waja-Timuga, District of Alamata, northern Ethiopia
Parasites & Vectors (2014)
-
Field transmission intensity of Schistosoma japonicum measured by basic reproduction ratio from modified Barbour’s model
Parasites & Vectors (2013)
-
Th2 responses in schistosomiasis
Seminars in Immunopathology (2012)
-
Cytokine responses to Schistosoma haematobium in a Zimbabwean population: contrasting profiles for IFN-γ, IL-4, IL-5 and IL-10 with age
BMC Infectious Diseases (2007)