Study on immunobiology in endoparasites of public health interest: echinococcosis-hydatidosis.
Cystic echinococcosis caused by Echinococcus granulosus is one of the most widespread zoonoses in the Mediterranean, endemic in some regions such as Sardinia. Some aspects of the research conducted in this area are briefly reviewed for an integrated analysis of both epidemiological and immunobiological knowledge, gained from field observations and experimental studies. Data on epidemiology in intermediate hosts, immunological assessment of exposure in humans, immune response and Th1/Th2 polarization in secondary experimental hydatidosis, kinetics of response in definitive host and cytokine production in experimental models are briefly reported. They confirm the usefulness of an immunobiological approach both in intermediate and definitive hosts and their potential in prevention, monitoring and control of E/H.
Conchedda
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Dipartimento di Scienze Applicate ai Biosistemi, Sezione di Parassitologia, Università di Cagliari, Via della Pineta 77, 09125 Cagliari, Italy. parasit@vaxca1.unica.it
Bortoletti
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G
Ecca
A R
AR
Gabriele
F
F
Palmas
C
C
D000818:Animals; D000917:Antibody Formation; D004283:Dog Diseases / Q000469:parasitology; D004285:Dogs; D004443:Echinococcosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000276:immunology*; D004446:Echinococcus / Q000276:immunology*; D006790:Host-Parasite Interactions / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D007558:Italy; D015995:Prevalence; D011634:Public Health; D012756:Sheep; D012757:Sheep Diseases / Q000469:parasitology; D018417:Th1 Cells / Q000276:immunology; D018418:Th2 Cells / Q000276:immunology