1.
Science
; 294(5545): 1358-61, 2001 Nov 09.
Artigo
em Inglês
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-11701932
RESUMO
We have identified an alternate developmental pathway in the life cycle of the trematode pathogen Schistosoma mansoni. This pathway is used in immunodeficient hosts in which the parasite fails to receive appropriate signals from the host immune system. Helminth development is altered at an early stage during infection, resulting in the appearance of attenuated forms that prolong survival of host and parasite. Hepatic CD4+ T lymphocyte populations are an integral component of the immune signal recognized by the parasite.