Parasite Host Relationship
Parasites: Uncovering the Role of the Parasite Host Relationship
According to the CDC around seventeen percent of Americans are infected with only one type of parasite. This figure did not take into account all the species of parasites, nor the percentage of the undeveloped world infected, and when taken into consideration the figures are staggering.
Parasites are organisms that make their living by residing attached to or within another organism. They use the organism for food, shelter, and a place to reproduce. Depending on the parasite the number of hosts may vary, as well as the transmission and effects. Yet, in most cases of parasite infection the host is negatively affected, and often times falls ill; not only due to a natural immune …show more content…
Throughout this course we have discussed the ways in which parasites manage to reside in a host, resist the immune system of the host, and keep the host alive long enough to successfully reproduce. Their ability to do this very thing has made them expert survivalists, and have allowed for adaption to the host. Researchers now know depending on the host, as well as the parasite, the form in which the parasite enters their host varies and will initiate a varying immune response. By studying parasite life cycles researchers have begun identifying the ways the typical immune system will respond to certain forms and species of parasites. By identifying the magnitude of the response, as well as the type of response researchers hope to develop more efficient vaccines and treatments for parasite burden, but in doing so have discovered the parasite host relationship offers information that can be utilized to treat immune related diseases in …show more content…
Researchers were initially working on regulation of infections caused by Toxoplasma gondii a single celled parasite which resides in the intestines of cats. While studying the effects of Toxoplasma gondii researchers noticed that when introduced to a healthy immune system the initial response increased production of cytotoxic T cells as well as Natural Killer Cells. The goal of the Cytotoxic t cells and natural killer cells is to identify and destroy an invasive pathogen. In the Dartmouth studies these cells vigoursly begin attacking the parasite and elevated the immune system by raising awareness throughout the body. The Geisel group began studying organisms infected with Toxoplasma gondii and found that the immune response was exactly that of the desired response cancer researchers are looking for
According to the CDC around seventeen percent of Americans are infected with only one type of parasite. This figure did not take into account all the species of parasites, nor the percentage of the undeveloped world infected, and when taken into consideration the figures are staggering.
Parasites are organisms that make their living by residing attached to or within another organism. They use the organism for food, shelter, and a place to reproduce. Depending on the parasite the number of hosts may vary, as well as the transmission and effects. Yet, in most cases of parasite infection the host is negatively affected, and often times falls ill; not only due to a natural immune …show more content…
Throughout this course we have discussed the ways in which parasites manage to reside in a host, resist the immune system of the host, and keep the host alive long enough to successfully reproduce. Their ability to do this very thing has made them expert survivalists, and have allowed for adaption to the host. Researchers now know depending on the host, as well as the parasite, the form in which the parasite enters their host varies and will initiate a varying immune response. By studying parasite life cycles researchers have begun identifying the ways the typical immune system will respond to certain forms and species of parasites. By identifying the magnitude of the response, as well as the type of response researchers hope to develop more efficient vaccines and treatments for parasite burden, but in doing so have discovered the parasite host relationship offers information that can be utilized to treat immune related diseases in …show more content…
Researchers were initially working on regulation of infections caused by Toxoplasma gondii a single celled parasite which resides in the intestines of cats. While studying the effects of Toxoplasma gondii researchers noticed that when introduced to a healthy immune system the initial response increased production of cytotoxic T cells as well as Natural Killer Cells. The goal of the Cytotoxic t cells and natural killer cells is to identify and destroy an invasive pathogen. In the Dartmouth studies these cells vigoursly begin attacking the parasite and elevated the immune system by raising awareness throughout the body. The Geisel group began studying organisms infected with Toxoplasma gondii and found that the immune response was exactly that of the desired response cancer researchers are looking for