Zibaei Mohammad, Shayesteh Zahra, Moradi Najmeh, Bahadory Saeed
Evidence-based Phytotherapy & Complementary Medicine Research Center, Alborz University of Medical Sciences, Karaj, Iran.
Department of Parasitology and Mycology, School of Medicine, Alborz University of Medical Sciences, Karaj, Iran.
Antiinflamm Antiallergy Agents Med Chem. 2019;18(2):82-90. doi: 10.2174/1871523018666181210115840.
Toxocariasis is a cosmopolitan infection that occurs in various regions worldwide, more frequently in developing countries. Chronic infections with Toxocara species in humans are associated with the production of high levels of specific and non-specific antibodies of all isotypes and IgG subclasses and a cytokine response characterized by the production of Th2 cytokines including IL-4, IL-5 and IL-13 by Peripheral Blood Monocytes (PBMCs) and Leukocytes (PBLs) in whole blood cultures. Other Th2 effector responses are also prominent during infection, reflected by elevated numbers of peripheral blood eosinophils and increased expression of eosinophil degranulation products. The production of IFN-γ by PBMCs/PBLs stimulated with Toxocara-secreted proteins is not prominent in toxocariasis but IL-10 production may be increased in infected individuals. The relationship between Toxocara species with allergic reactions was reported in the recent century. Experimental and epidemiological investigations revealed that toxocariasis with this parasite led to the development of allergic symptoms, such as asthma. However, the findings are conflicting since in other investigations no association between these two immunopathologies has been reported.
The present review endeavours to summarize the data on Toxocara species and findings from studies on the relationship of toxocariasis with symptoms and signs of allergy. Furthermore, the mechanisms of immune responses and the factors associated between allergy and Toxocara infection are discussed.
弓蛔虫病是一种在全球各地区均有发生的世界性感染病，在发展中国家更为常见。人类慢性感染弓蛔虫属会产生高水平的所有同种型和IgG亚类的特异性和非特异性抗体，以及一种细胞因子反应，其特征是外周血单核细胞（PBMC）和全血培养中的白细胞（PBL）产生包括IL-4、IL-5和IL-13在内的Th2细胞因子。在感染过程中，其他Th2效应反应也很突出，表现为外周血嗜酸性粒细胞数量增加和嗜酸性粒细胞脱颗粒产物表达增加。在弓蛔虫病中，用弓蛔虫分泌蛋白刺激PBMC/PBL产生IFN-γ并不突出，但感染个体中IL-10的产生可能会增加。上个世纪报道了弓蛔虫属与过敏反应之间的关系。实验和流行病学调查表明，感染这种寄生虫的弓蛔虫病会导致过敏症状的出现，如哮喘。然而，这些发现存在矛盾之处，因为在其他调查中并未报道这两种免疫病理学之间存在关联。
本综述旨在总结关于弓蛔虫属的数据以及弓蛔虫病与过敏症状和体征关系的研究结果。此外，还讨论了免疫反应机制以及过敏与弓蛔虫感染之间的相关因素。
