Advances in the mechanism underlying the interaction of <i>Toxoplasma gondii</i> and nematodes co-infections

CHINESE JOURNAL OF PARASITOLOGY AND PARASITIC DISEASES ›› 2025, Vol. 43 ›› Issue (4): 562-566.doi: 10.12140/j.issn.1000-7423.2025.04.017

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Advances in the mechanism underlying the interaction of Toxoplasma gondii and nematodes co-infections

LV Fangli1,2,3,*()(), LIN Xincheng2   

  1. 1 Scientific Research Center, the Seventh Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, Shenzhen 518107, Guangdong, China
    2 Department of Parasitology, School of Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University, Shenzhen 518107, Guangdong, China
    3 Department of Parasitology, Zhongshan School of Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510080, Guangdong, China
  • Received:2024-11-16 Revised:2025-02-06 Online:2025-08-30 Published:2025-10-09
  • Contact: E-mail: lvfangli@mail.sysu.edu.cn
  • Supported by:
    National Natural Science Foundation of China(82272366);National Natural Science Foundation of China(81971955);Basic Research Fund in Shenzhen Natural Science Foundation(JCYJ20220530145002006);Natural Science Foundation of Guangdong Province(2021A1515012115);Natural Science Foundation of Guangdong Province(2019A1515011667)

Abstract:

Parasitic co-infection is common in the natural world, which may affect both host immune responses and the pathogenesis of parasites. Protozoa and helminths are found to induce different immune responses, and protozoa and helminths co-infections may affect host immune response to these parasites and the outcomes of infections. Toxoplasma gondii is a neurotropic protozoan parasite causing persistent subclinical neuroinflammations, which is associated with psychiatric and neurodegenerative diseases, as well as other diseases. However, there has been limited knowledge on the mechanisms underlying the interaction of T. gondii and nematodes co-infections until now. This review provides an overview of the interactions and regulatory mechanisms of T. gondii co-infections with Toxocara spp., Trichinella spiralis, Heligmosomoides spp. and Nippostrongylus brasiliensis in human or animal hosts.

Key words: Toxoplasma gondii, Nematodes, Co-infection, Interaction, Mechanism

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