Il4ra-independent vaginal eosinophil accumulation following helminth infection exacerbates epithelial ulcerative pathology of HSV-2 infection.
- Journal:
- Cell Host & Microbe
- Published:
- DOI:
- 10.1016/j.chom.2021.02.004
- Affiliations:
- 15
- Authors:
- 17
Research Highlight
How tapeworms in the intestines can make a vaginal infection worse
© KATERYNA KON/SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARY/Science Photo Library/Getty Images
A mechanism by which intestinal worm infections can compound vaginal infection by the herpes simplex virus-2 (HSV-2) has been uncovered in mice.
Parasitic worms known as helminths infect the intestines rather than the vagina, but helminth infections have been associated with more severe HSV-2 symptoms in women. This is especially problematic in places like sub-Saharan Africa, where both infections are common.
Now, a team led by researchers from the University of Cape Town has identified a mechanism in mice that can explain how an helminth infection can make an HSV-2 infection worse despite occurring in a different organ.
They observed that helminth infections in mice increased the accumulation of disease-fighting white blood cells known as eosinophils in the vagina. This in turn enhanced scarring in the vagina on HSV-2 infection.
The team are looking for drugs that may be able to counteract this interaction between infections.
References
- Cell Host & Microbe 29, 579–593 (2021). doi: 10.1016/j.chom.2021.02.004