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Source: http://news.wustl.edu/news/Pages/21869.aspx
Virus, parasite (Leishmania) may combine to increase harm to humans
February 10, 2011
By Michael C. Purdy
A parasite and a virus may be teaming up in a way that increases the parasite?s ability to harm humans, scientists at the University of Lausanne in Switzerland and Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis report this week in Science.
When the parasite Leishmania infects a human, immune system cells known as macrophages respond. However, some Leishmania strains are infected with a virus that can trigger a severe response in macrophages, allowing the parasite to do more harm in animal infections. In humans, the parasite's viral infection may be why some strains of Leishmania in Central and South America tend to cause a disfiguring form of disease that erodes the soft tissues around the nose and mouth...
Virus, parasite (Leishmania) may combine to increase harm to humans
February 10, 2011
By Michael C. Purdy
A parasite and a virus may be teaming up in a way that increases the parasite?s ability to harm humans, scientists at the University of Lausanne in Switzerland and Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis report this week in Science.
When the parasite Leishmania infects a human, immune system cells known as macrophages respond. However, some Leishmania strains are infected with a virus that can trigger a severe response in macrophages, allowing the parasite to do more harm in animal infections. In humans, the parasite's viral infection may be why some strains of Leishmania in Central and South America tend to cause a disfiguring form of disease that erodes the soft tissues around the nose and mouth...