Developing vaccines to combat hookworm infection and intestinal schistosomiasis

Document Type

Journal Article

Publication Date

11-1-2010

Journal

Nature Reviews Microbiology

Volume

8

Issue

11

DOI

10.1038/nrmicro2438

Abstract

Hookworm infection and schistosomiasis rank among the most important health problems in developing countries. Both cause anaemia and malnutrition, and schistosomiasis also results in substantial intestinal, liver and genitourinary pathology. In sub-Saharan Africa and Brazil, co-infections with the hookworm, Necator americanus, and the intestinal schistosome, Schistosoma mansoni, are common. The development of vaccines for these infections could substantially reduce the global disability associated with these helminthiases. New genomic, proteomic, immunological and X-ray crystallographic data have led to the discovery of several promising candidate vaccine antigens. Here, we describe recent progress in this field and the rationale for vaccine development. © 2010 Macmillan Publishers Limited. All rights reserved.

This document is currently not available here.

Share

COinS