Elias D, Akuffo H, Britton S
Armauer Hansen Research Institute, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
Parasite Immunol. 2006 Oct;28(10):507-13. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-3024.2006.00854.x.
Helminthes, infections widespread in the tropics, are known to elicit a wide range of immunomodulation characterized by dominant Th2 type immune responses, chronic immune activation as well as up-regulated regulatory T cell activity. Such a wide range of immunomodulation caused by helminthes may have an impact on the host's ability to cope with subsequent infections and/or may affect the efficacy of vaccination. Indeed studies conducted in humans living in helminth-endemic areas and in animal models showed that helminth infection makes the host more permissive to mycobacterial infections and less able to benefit from vaccination. These observations have fundamental practical consequences if confirmed by large and appropriately controlled clinical studies. Eradication of worms could offer an affordable, simple and novel means to reduce the burden of the tuberculosis problem that at the moment seems to be getting out of control in sub-Saharan Africa. This information would also be of great relevance in the design of vaccines against diseases of major public health importance, including malaria and HIV/AIDS.
蠕虫感染在热带地区广泛存在，已知会引发多种免疫调节，其特征为占主导的Th2型免疫反应、慢性免疫激活以及调节性T细胞活性上调。蠕虫引起的这种广泛免疫调节可能会影响宿主应对后续感染的能力，和/或可能影响疫苗接种的效果。事实上，对生活在蠕虫流行地区的人类和动物模型进行的研究表明，蠕虫感染会使宿主更容易感染分枝杆菌，且从疫苗接种中获益的能力降低。如果这些观察结果得到大规模且适当对照的临床研究的证实，将具有重要的实际意义。根除蠕虫可能提供一种经济实惠、简单且新颖的方法，以减轻目前在撒哈拉以南非洲似乎失控的结核病问题负担。这些信息在设计针对包括疟疾和艾滋病毒/艾滋病在内的重大公共卫生疾病的疫苗时也将具有重要意义。
