Development of a Model of Hookworm Infection Exhibiting Salient Characteristics of Human Infection

Abstract

Patent and pathologic infections of the human hookworm Necator americanus were established in the common marmoset (Callithrix jacchus). In a pilot study, a laboratory strain of N. americanus was compared with a fresh field isolate. Pathology was more severe in animals infected with a fresh isolate. In all animals, infection was associated with increased total plasma IgE and production of IgG specific to adult worm excretory/secretory (ES) products. Histamine was released by basophils in response to IgE, ES products, and a recombinant hookworm allergen, calreticulin. The pilot study indicated the potential of this animal model of hookworm infection and led us to investigate the consequences of infecting a further cohort with the fresh field isolate. This second study confirmed our initial findings, that it is possible to investigate the human hookworm N. americanus in a model exhibiting many of the characteristics of the immunology of hookworm infection in its definitive host.

The Association Between Major Helminth Infections (Soil-Transmitted Helminthes and Schistosomiasis) and Anemia Among School Children in Shimbit Elementary School, Bahir Dar, Northwest Ethiopia

“…Hookworms are the leading cause of anemia and malnutrition than any other species of parasites, particularly among children and women of child developing countries [24,37,38], observed that a single infection with thrichiura, hookworms or S. mansoni moderate intensities were found to be associated with anemia.…”

“…The overall prevalence of anemia was 25.8% among school children in Shimbit Elementary School, Bahir Dar, This was similar to the prevalence of anemia in Aracaju Sergipe, Brazil primary school children Rural North Gaza (25%) [21] and rural Vietnam WHO categorized severity of anemia into three classes, as mild (Hb =11.9-9.0g/dl),moderate (Hb=8.9-7.0g/dl) and severe (Hb below 7.0g/dl) [36]. Based on this classification, 88.2% of anemia was mild, 9.7% moderate and leading cause of anemia and malnutrition than any other species of parasites, particularly children and women of child-bearing age in developing countries [24,37,38], but in this study it was observed that a single infection with A. lumbericoides, T.…”

Hookworm virulence factors: making the most of the host

“…Much of the information on the immunological responses to hookworm infection in humans has come from immunoepidemiological studies conducted in Necator endemic areas [3e11] and from the experimental infection of healthy human volunteers [12e17]. Although there are murine models that can be briefly infected with N. americanus, the infection success is poor and the full cycle is not supported [18]. The other common laboratory model used for the study of N. americanus infection is the Chinese Syrian Golden Hamster, a model which also develops a natural resistance (either physiological or immunological) to the infection.…”

Strongyloides stercoralis infection in marmosets: replication of complicated and uncomplicated human disease and parasite biology

“…The inability to maintain S. stercoralis of human origin in the laboratory and the nearly complete absence of viable models for the study of auto-infection, hyperinfection and dissemination of this parasite have hampered our understanding of various aspects related to the biology and pathophysiology of this parasite. Marmosets are susceptible to infections with a number of parasites of medical importance [64][65][66][67][68][69][70], and the use of these animals has advantages over other non-human primates: smaller size (i.e., weight of only approximately 400 g), greater abundance of some species in nature, ease of captive breeding and handling, reduced maintenance costs and a relatively lower risk for the transmission of zoonoses to humans [56,64,71,72]. In this study, specimens of C. penicillata were susceptible to infection with S. stercoralis and complicated and uncomplicated disease occurred, confirming that these primates are a promising model for studying strongyloidiasis [56].…”