Home  About us  Contact
 

Helminthic Infections (helminthic + infections)

Distribution by Scientific Domains
Medical Sciences100%

Selected Abstracts

Immune modulation by helminthic infections: worms and viral infections

PARASITE IMMUNOLOGY, Issue 10 2006
S. M. KAMAL
SUMMARY Helminthic infections occur worldwide, especially in developing countries. About one-quarter of the world's population, 1·5 billion, are infected with one or more of the major soil-transmitted helminths, including hookworms, ascarids, and whipworms. Schistosomes infect more than 200 million people worldwide with 600 million at risk in 74 countries. The interaction between helminths and the host's immune system provokes particular immunomodulatory and immunoregulatory mechanisms that ensure their survival in the host for years. However, these changes might impair the immunological response to bystander bacterial, viral, and protozoal pathogens and to vaccination. Modulation of the immune system by infection with helminthic parasites is proposed to reduce the levels of allergic responses and to protect against inflammatory bowel disease. In this review, we summarize the immunological milieu associated with helminthic infections and its impact on viral infections, mainly hepatitis B virus, hepatitis C virus, and human immunodeficiency virus in humans and experimental animals. [source]

Influence of Dietary Fat on ,-Carotene Absorption and Bioconversion into Vitamin A

NUTRITION REVIEWS, Issue 4 2002
Judy D. Ribaya-Mercado Sc.D.
Dietary fat facilitates the utilization of carotenoids and, based on serum ,-carotene or retinol responses following ingestion of meals containing carotene and fat sources, it has been reported that the amount of fat required in a meal may be minimal (,3-5 g). However, the dietary fat requirement for optimal carotene utilization in humans cannot be fully ascertained without longer-term dose-response studies that measure the changes in vitamin A body stores in response to varying levels of dietary fat. In humans, vitamin A body stores can be determined by use of stable isotope-dilution methods. Animal studies have shown that although the level of dietary fat has no effect on serum vitamin A concentrations of animals fed ,-carotene, higher liver vitamin A concentrations were found in those that ingested higher fat levels. Other factors that might influence the relationship of fat intake and ,-carotene utilization include the type of fat ingested, physicochemical properties of the carotenoid source, amount of carotene ingested, whether fat and ,-carotene sources are provided in the same meal, the presence of helminthic infections, age, and vitamin A status. [source]

Immune modulation by helminthic infections: worms and viral infections

PARASITE IMMUNOLOGY, Issue 10 2006
S. M. KAMAL
SUMMARY Helminthic infections occur worldwide, especially in developing countries. About one-quarter of the world's population, 1·5 billion, are infected with one or more of the major soil-transmitted helminths, including hookworms, ascarids, and whipworms. Schistosomes infect more than 200 million people worldwide with 600 million at risk in 74 countries. The interaction between helminths and the host's immune system provokes particular immunomodulatory and immunoregulatory mechanisms that ensure their survival in the host for years. However, these changes might impair the immunological response to bystander bacterial, viral, and protozoal pathogens and to vaccination. Modulation of the immune system by infection with helminthic parasites is proposed to reduce the levels of allergic responses and to protect against inflammatory bowel disease. In this review, we summarize the immunological milieu associated with helminthic infections and its impact on viral infections, mainly hepatitis B virus, hepatitis C virus, and human immunodeficiency virus in humans and experimental animals. [source]