Neglected Deceivers To most invaders of our bodies, the sight of white blood cells (WBC) – the soldiers of our immune system – is bad news. However, despite having no limbs, the parasitic worm that causes the tropical disease, schistosomiasis, welcomes them with open arms. This is because only by piggy-backing on the immune response can the worm’s eggs pass from the host’s blood into the gut. From there they can be excreted and go on to infect other victims. Scientists have discovered that to get close to immune system activity, eggs gather in regions containing tubular pathways along which WBCs travel. In fact, eight weeks after infection (right image), these vessels (shown in red) are actually larger and more numerous than in animals naïve to the disease. By tricking the host’s own body to lend a hand to the worm, schistosomiasis, which damages internal organs, has already infected over 200 million people worldwide. Written by Jan Piotrowski — Adrian Mountford University of York, UK Originally published under a Creative Commons Attribution license Published in PLOS Pathogens 8(12): e1003063
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Neglected Deceivers

To most invaders of our bodies, the sight of white blood cells (WBC) – the soldiers of our immune system – is bad news. However, despite having no limbs, the parasitic worm that causes the tropical disease, schistosomiasis, welcomes them with open arms. This is because only by piggy-backing on the immune response can the worm’s eggs pass from the host’s blood into the gut. From there they can be excreted and go on to infect other victims. Scientists have discovered that to get close to immune system activity, eggs gather in regions containing tubular pathways along which WBCs travel. In fact, eight weeks after infection (right image), these vessels (shown in red) are actually larger and more numerous than in animals naïve to the disease. By tricking the host’s own body to lend a hand to the worm, schistosomiasis, which damages internal organs, has already infected over 200 million people worldwide.

Written by Jan Piotrowski

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Source: bpod.mrc.ac.uk

Neglected Eyes By definition, neglected diseases are overlooked. Their effects are not often deadly, but can still wreak havoc among an estimated billion people in the world’s poorest populations. Trachoma, a bacterial infection that leads to blindness, is a prime example. Illustrated by this map, in which country size relates to numbers of trachoma cases, the overwhelming burden of the disease falls on Africa and South-East Asia. And, although it causes no large, media-attracting outbreaks, the disease nonetheless takes a dramatic toll. Over 40 million people need treatment, as the roughening of the eyelids and in-growing of their lashes slowly but steadily destroys their eyes. But it doesn’t have to be this way. Treatments costing as little as 50p would go a long way to eliminate the disease, and prevent further growth of the group of more than one million people who have already lost their sight because of the disease. Written by Jan Piotrowski — Copyright SASI Group (University of Sheffield) and Mark Newman (University of Michigan)
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Neglected Eyes

By definition, neglected diseases are overlooked. Their effects are not often deadly, but can still wreak havoc among an estimated billion people in the world’s poorest populations. Trachoma, a bacterial infection that leads to blindness, is a prime example. Illustrated by this map, in which country size relates to numbers of trachoma cases, the overwhelming burden of the disease falls on Africa and South-East Asia. And, although it causes no large, media-attracting outbreaks, the disease nonetheless takes a dramatic toll. Over 40 million people need treatment, as the roughening of the eyelids and in-growing of their lashes slowly but steadily destroys their eyes. But it doesn’t have to be this way. Treatments costing as little as 50p would go a long way to eliminate the disease, and prevent further growth of the group of more than one million people who have already lost their sight because of the disease.

Written by Jan Piotrowski

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Source: bpod.mrc.ac.uk