B. Gottstein et R. Felleisen, PROTECTIVE IMMUNE-MECHANISMS AGAINST THE METACESTODE OF ECHINOCOCCUS-MULTILOCULARIS, Parasitology today, 11(9), 1995, pp. 320-326
Infection with the larval stage of the fox tapeworm Echinococcus multi
locularis results in a life-threatening hepatic disease concerning hum
ans and intermediate rodent hosts. Immunoepidemiological surveys provi
ded information that a large proportion of infected individuals may de
monstrate either constitutional resistance to early post-oncospheral d
evelopment of the parasite or late resistance to disease by exhibiting
an intrahepatic died-out parasite lesion. Similar events have been fo
und in secondary infections of laboratory rodents. Dissection of humor
al and cell-mediated immune responses in susceptible versus resistant
individuals provides insight into immunological pathways associated wi
th the different outcome of infection. Survival strategy of the metace
stode obviously focuses on the crucial role played by the parasite lam
inated layer. This layer protects the metacestode from host effector m
echanisms which can potentially kill the proliferating germinative com
partments in case of resistant hosts. Bruno Gottstein and Richard Fell
eisen here discuss the Meed to search for more parameters discriminati
ng between the different immune pathways in order to find out (immunog
enetic?) predispositions responsible for the respective phenomena.