Interaction between Intestinal Parasites and the Gut Microbiota: Implications for the Intestinal Immune Response and Host Defence

• Published in: Pathogens (Basel) Vol. 13; no. 8; p. 608
• Main Authors: Grondin, Jensine A, Jamal, Asif, Mowna, Sadrina, Seto, Tyler, Khan, Waliul I
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Switzerland MDPI AG 23.07.2024; MDPI
• Subjects: Antimicrobial agents; Bacteria; Digestive system; Digestive tract; Expulsion; Gastrointestinal tract; Global health; gut microbiota; helminths; host–parasite–microbiota axis; Immune response; Immune system; Infections; Inflammatory bowel diseases; Intestinal microflora; Intestinal parasites; Intestine; Microbiota; Microorganisms; Parasites; Parasitic diseases; parasitic infection; Pharmaceuticals; Protozoa; Public health; Review; Survival; Tropical diseases; intestinal parasites; parasitic defence; parasitic infection; helminths; gut microbiota; protozoa; host–parasite–microbiota axis
• ISSN: 2076-0817; 2076-0817
• DOI: 10.3390/pathogens13080608

Intestinal parasites, including helminths and protozoa, account for a significant portion of the global health burden. The gastrointestinal (GI) tract not only serves as the stage for these parasitic infections but also as the residence for millions of microbes. As the intricacies of the GI microbial milieu continue to unfold, it is becoming increasingly apparent that the interactions between host, parasite, and resident microbes help dictate parasite survival and, ultimately, disease outcomes. Across both clinical and experimental models, intestinal parasites have been shown to impact microbial composition and diversity. Reciprocally, microbes can directly influence parasitic survival, colonization and expulsion. The gut microbiota can also indirectly impact parasites through the influence and manipulation of the host. Studying this host-parasite-microbiota axis may help bring about novel therapeutic strategies for intestinal parasitic infection as well as conditions such as inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). In this review, we explore the relationship between intestinal parasites, with a particular focus on common protozoa and helminths, and the gut microbiota, and how these interactions can influence the host defence and intestinal immune response. We will also explore the impact of this tripartite relationship in a clinical setting and its broader implications for human health.