Polyparasitism and its impact on the immune system

Paresitic infections are common in many tropicaland sub-tropical regions ofthe world and concomitant infection. polyparasirism, is the rule rathea than the exception in such areas. At the immunological level. different parasites induce quite differeni responses charactedsed. for example. by proto?oa that polarise responses towards Thl, whilst helminths are strong Th2 and regulatory T cell inducers. The question of\ud how the co-existence of such parasites within the same host might influence the immunological responses ro each species and. more importantly. whdher such interactions affect resistance, susceptibility or clinical outcome. needs to be addrersed in well-desigoed studies of sumcient power. The aurrenl paper discusses what we know as well as the gaps in our knowledge of polyparasitism