Immunological underpinnings of <i>Ascaris</i> infection, reinfection and co-infection and their associated co-morbidities
Luísa Magalhães, Denise Silva Nogueira, Pedro Henrique Gazzinelli-Guimarães, Fabrício Marcus Silva Oliveira, Lucas Kraemer, Ana Clara Gazzinelli-Guimarães, Flaviane Vieira-Santos, Ricardo Toshio Fujiwara, Lilian Lacerda Bueno
Abstract
Human ascariasis is the most common and prevalent neglected tropical disease and is estimated that ~819 million people are infected around the globe, accounting for 0.861 million years of disability-adjusted life years in 2017. Even with the existence of highly effective drugs, the constant presence of infective parasite eggs in the environment contribute to a high reinfection rate after treatment. Due to its high prevalence and broad geographic distribution Ascaris infection is associated with a variety of co-morbidities and co-infections. Here, we provide data from both experimental models and humans studies that illustrate how complex is the interaction of Ascaris with the host immune system, especially, in the context of reinfections, co-infections and associated co-morbidities.