The immune response to the protozoan pathogens, Leishmania spp., Trypanosoma spp. and Plasmodium spp., has been studied extensively with particular focus on regulation of the immune response by immunological mechanisms. More specifically, in diseases caused by parasites, immunosuppression frequently prevents immunopathology that can injure the host. However, this allows a small number of parasites to evade the immune response and remain in the host after a clinical cure. The consequences can be chronic infections, which establish a zoonotic or anthroponotic reservoir. This review will highlight some of the identified regulatory mechanisms of the immune system that govern immune responses to parasitic diseases, in particular leishmaniasis, trypanosomiasis and malaria, and discuss implications for the development of efficient vaccines against these diseases.

Item Type:	Substantial Review
Keywords:	Leishmania; Trypanosoma; Plasmodium; Regulatory T cells; Alternatively activated macrophages; iNOS; Arginase 1
Research Division:	Biomedical and Clinical Sciences
Research Group:	Immunology
Research Field:	Immunology not elsewhere classified
Objective Division:	Health
Objective Group:	Clinical health
Objective Field:	Clinical health not elsewhere classified
UTAS Author:	Kling, JC (Miss Jessica Kling)
UTAS Author:	Korner, H (Professor Heinrich Korner)
ID Code:	84950
Year Published:	2013
Web of Science® Times Cited:	9
Deposited By:	Menzies Institute for Medical Research
Deposited On:	2013-06-06
Last Modified:	2013-06-06
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