Parasite whips up ideas for bowel cancer ...( outh-eastern United States. Patie...)

Patients with mild infections may have few or no symptoms but, in cases of heavy infection, the patient may suffer abdominal cramps and symptoms resembling amoebic dysentery.

In children, severe trichuriasis can be more serious, leading to anaemia, growth stunting and developmental problems. It may also influence the effectiveness of vaccines against diseases such as tuberculosis and how we cope with other infections such as malaria.

"Nematodes are one of the most successful groups of animals on the planet, many exquisitely adapted to being parasites, and we have much to learn from them," said Professor Richard Grencis, who leads the research team.

"Once attached to the lining of the intestine, whipworm slows down the rate at which the host renews its cells allowing it to burrow further into the gut wall.

"We were able to counteract this by speeding up the cell 'escalator' artificially but some hosts we studied managed to do this naturally. It's ultimately our genes that determine whether we make the right immune response."

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Contact: Aeron Haworth
aeron.haworth@manchester.ac.uk
44-161-275-8383
University of Manchester
16-Jun-2005