Presence of intestinal helminths decreases T helper type 1 responses in tuberculoid leprosy patients and may increase the risk for multi-bacillary leprosy
- 10 May 2010
- journal article
- research article
- Published by Oxford University Press (OUP) in Clinical and Experimental Immunology
- Vol. 161 (1), 142-150
- https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2249.2010.04164.x
Abstract
Summary: Resistance to intracellular pathogens such as Mycobacterium leprae is dependent upon an effective T helper type 1 (Th1)-type immune response. On the other hand, intestinal helminths are known to subvert the host's immune response towards to either a Th2-type immune response or a regulatory T cell up-regulation, which may affect the host's ability to mount an effective response to mycobacteria. Here, we report a significant association between intestinal helminth infections and lepromatous leprosy [odds ratio (OR), 10·88; confidence interval (CI) 95%: 4·02–29·4; P < 0·001]. We also observed that the frequency of intestinal helminths correlated strongly with the mycobacterial index (r = 0·982, P < 0·01). Corroborating with our hypothesis, intracellular levels of interferon-γ were decreased significantly in leprosy patients co-infected with intestinal helminths when compared to leprosy patients without worms. Conversely, lepromatous leprosy patients with intestinal worms produced higher levels of both interleukin (IL)-4 and IL-10. Our results suggest that a pre-existing infection by intestinal helminths may facilitate the establishment of M. leprae infection or its progression to more severe forms of leprosy.This publication has 32 references indexed in Scilit:
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