Host immunity status

Gemmil, A.W., Viney, M.E. and Read, AF. (1997) Host immune status determines sexuality in a parasitic nematode. Evolution 51, 393—101. 

Host and parasite have coevolved over millions of years and exist in mutual tolerance, disease only being apparent when the balance is upset by the host being exposed to unusually high parasite burdens at times when immunocompetence is diminished by age, physiological state, disease or nutritional status. The host immune response is multifaceted and it is... 

Individual host characteristics Compromising factors that can influence the particular consequences of exposure to infection include immune status and pregnancy. 

A variety of helminths belonging to the class nematoda (roundworms), trema-toda (flatworms or flukes) and cestoda (tapeworms) are known to infect humans and domestic animals. The diseases caused by these worms are not only responsible for occasional deaths and wide range of health problems in man, but also exert detrimental effect on the nutritional and immune status of the host resulting in low resistance against other infections. The presence of helminth infections in livestock leads to decrease in output of animal products (milk, fat, butter, meat, eggs, wool and leather etc.) and has, therefore, strong socio-economic impact in countries with agro-and dairy-based industries [7]. 

Harnett has correlated the activity of praziquantel with the competent immune status of the host [131]. The role of immune mediated destruction of helminths has been demonstrated by Brindley and Sher [132] and Harnett and Kusel [133]. 

The choice of treatment for disease caused by C. neoformans depends on both the anatomic sites of involvement and the host s immune status. 

Clinical presentation of infection is variable and depends on the type and site of infection, type of transplant, time after transplantation, immune status of the host, and dose and duration of immunosuppressive therapy. 

It is well established that the strain of Toxoplasma can have an effect on the pathology of the infections (Dubey, 1998a). The manifestations of the disease can vary significantly from one host to another and different components contribute to the severity of the disease, including (i) host species, (ii) immune status of host, and (iii) biological and genetic variation within the parasite (hmes, 1997). 

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