title: Immunomodulation of host responses to ectoparasite infestation--an overview.
abstract: Immune reactivity stimulated by ectoparasites and other arthropods has received increased attention in recent years. It is clear that a broad range of host responses are elicited, and immune effector mechanisms appear to be active in limiting infestation with blood-feeding arthropods. Host immune responsiveness appears to be altered as a consequence of infestation by certain arthropods, and the impact of these alterations on vector-borne pathogen transmission remains to be determined. Successful techniques have been developed by a number of investigators for the artificial induction of resistance to blood-feeding arthropods. These areas are examined in this paper.
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000917:Antibody Formation; D001181:Arthropods / Q000276:immunology; D002417:Cattle; D004285:Dogs; D004478:Ectoparasitic Infestations / Q000276:immunology* / Q000469:parasitology / Q000662:veterinary; D005260:Female; D006168:Guinea Pigs; D006790:Host-Parasite Interactions; D006801:Humans; D007108:Immune Tolerance; D007111:Immunity, Cellular; D007114:Immunization; D007299:Insect Bites and Stings / Q000276:immunology; D008924:Mite Infestations / Q000276:immunology / Q000662:veterinary; D008925:Mites / Q000276:immunology; D011817:Rabbits; D013984:Tick Infestations / Q000276:immunology; D013987:Ticks / Q000276:immunology