Malaria and helminth interactions in humans: an epidemiological viewpoint

Abstract

Abstract Helminths are among the most common chronic infections in the tropics and Plasmodium infections the most deadly. These two groups of parasites have similar geographical distribution and co-infection is commonplace. It has increasingly been speculated that helminth infections may alter susceptibility to clinical malaria and there is now increasing interest in investigating the consequences of co-infection, with studies yielding contrasting results. The immunological interactions between the two parasites are unclear though several hypotheses have been proposed. This review provides an epidemiologic overview of the possible interactions between the two parasites in relation to geographical distribution and disease patterns, and provides a critical review of epidemiological studies that have so far been conducted to investigate possible associations. We also highlight possible studies that might be considered in order to address the gaps in knowledge.