Human ascariasis, an evolutionary complex relationship between host and parasite

Abstract

Ascariasis is a debilitating parasitic disease that has decimated the health of hundreds of thousands of human beings, especially in developing countries. The lack of adequate prophylaxis of the parasite associated with an increased risk of immunological disease is a challenge mainly in developed countries where the prevalence of this parasite is very low. The evolutionary relationship and mechanisms by which the parasite was able to colonize and establish itself in human hosts have not yet been unraveled. In addition, the host immune response mechanisms to eliminate or control the parasite are not fully understood. Understanding these immunological mechanisms (proximates) will allow establishing better medical treatments for diseases related to the positive effects of parasitosis, thus also avoiding the undesirable effects of the parasitosis itself.