Eosinophils, basophils and myeloid-derived suppressor cells in chronic Loa loa infection and its treatment in an endemic setting.

Background: Chronic infection by Loa loa remains an unsolved immunological paradox. Despite harboring subcutaneously migrating adult worms and often high densities of microfilariae, most patients experience only relatively mild symptoms, yet microfilaricidal treatment can trigger life-threatening inflammation. Here, we investigated innate cell populations hypothesized to play a role in these two faces of the disease, in an endemic population in Gabon.

[Development of malaria vaccines-state of the art].

Globally, 3.1 billion people live in areas endemic for malaria (the tropics and subtropics). Annually, around 200 million fall ill, and around 500,000 persons die as a result of this infection.

Loa loa-does it deserve to be neglected?

More than 10 million people in western and central Africa are estimated to be infected with Loa loa filarial nematodes. Like most other infectious diseases, L loa filariasis (loiasis) covers a wide range of symptoms. Severe complications have been reported; however, most observations are anecdotal, typically in travellers.