Abstract
Protozoan parasites cause severe morbidity and mortality in humans worldwide, especially in developing countries where access to chemotherapeutic agents is limited. Although parasites initially evoke a robust immune response, subsequent immunity fails to clear infection, ultimately leading to the chronic stage. This enigmatic situation was initially addressed in chronic viral models, where T cells lose their function, a phenomenon referred to as 'exhaustion'. However, recent studies demonstrate that this paradigm can be extended to protozoan diseases as well, although with notable differences. These studies have revealed that T cell responses generated against . Toxoplasma gondii, . Plasmodium sp., and . Leishmania sp. can become dysfunctional. This review discusses T cell exhaustion in parasitic infection, mechanisms of development, and a possible role in disease outcome.
Original language | English (US) |
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Pages (from-to) | 377-384 |
Number of pages | 8 |
Journal | Trends in Parasitology |
Volume | 28 |
Issue number | 9 |
DOIs | |
State | Published - Sep 2012 |
Keywords
- Exhaustion
- Leishmania
- Parasite
- Plasmodium
- Protozoan
- T cell
- Toxoplasma
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Parasitology
- Infectious Diseases