Hookworm infection aggravates metabolic disorder in obesity

Publication date: Available online 12 July 2019Source: Molecular and Biochemical ParasitologyAuthor(s): Vivian Jordania da Silva, Sílvia Regina Costa Dias, William Pereira Alves, Luis Fernando Viana Furtado, Luciana Ribeiro Serafim, Thayse Batista Moreira, Pedro Henrique Nascimento de Aguiar, Ana Maria Caetano de Faria, Élida Mara Leite RabeloAbstractObesity and ancylostomiasis are considered public health problems. Recent studies have shown that infection by intestinal helminths in obese individuals can ameliorate metabolic disorder and improve glucose tolerance by decreasing both insulin resistance and low-intensity inflammation. However, few helminth species have been studied in this context, and some modulation mechanisms still require deeper investigation. Therefore, the present work aimed to investigate the role of experimental infection with Ancylostoma ceylanicum in the modulation of the immune response in an obese experimental model. Four groups of hamsters were used as follows: two groups were submitted to a hyperlipidic and hypercaloric diet capable of inducing obesity, one infected and the other uninfected; and two normonourished control groups, one infected and one uninfected by A. ceylanicum. Biochemical, haematological, parasitological and immunological parameters were evaluated. The results demonstrated that A. ceylanicum infection accentuated weight loss in obese animals compared to normonourished animals. However, obesity reduced the recovery of worms and ...
Source: Molecular and Biochemical Parasitology - Category: Parasitology Source Type: research