Invasion mechanisms among emerging food-borne protozoan parasites

• Published in: Trends in parasitology Vol. 27; no. 10; pp. 459 - 466
• Main Authors: Yoshida, Nobuko, Tyler, Kevin M, Llewellyn, Martin S
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Amsterdam Elsevier Ltd 01.10.2011; Elsevier
• Subjects: Apoptosis; Biological and medical sciences; Cell Adhesion; Chagas disease; Communicable Diseases, Emerging - parasitology; Communicable Diseases, Emerging - transmission; Cryptosporidium; Cryptosporidium - pathogenicity; Entamoeba - pathogenicity; Entamoeba histolytica; Foodborne Diseases - parasitology; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Gastroenterology and Hepatology; General aspects; Giardia; Host-Parasite Interactions; Humans; Infectious Disease; Infectious diseases; Intestinal Diseases, Parasitic - parasitology; Intestinal Mucosa - metabolism; Intestinal Mucosa - parasitology; Medical sciences; mortality; Mucins - metabolism; parasites; Parasitic diseases; parasitology; Protozoa; Protozoan Infections - parasitology; Protozoan Proteins - metabolism; Toxoplasma - pathogenicity; Toxoplasma gondii; Trypanosoma cruzi; Trypanosoma cruzi - pathogenicity; Parasite; Protozoa; Invasion
• ISSN: 1471-4922; 1471-5007
• DOI: 10.1016/j.pt.2011.06.006

Food-borne parasitic diseases, many known to be more prevalent in poor countries with deficient sanitary conditions, are becoming common worldwide. Among the emerging protozoan parasites, the most prominent is Trypanosoma cruzi , rarely reported in the past to be transmitted by the oral route but currently responsible for frequent outbreaks of acute cases of Chagas disease contracted orally and characterized by high mortality. Several other food-borne protozoans considered emerging include the apicomplexans Toxoplasma gondii and Cryptosporidium , as well as Giardia and Entamoeba histolytica . Here, the interactions of these protozoans with the mucosal epithelia of the host are discussed.