Focus on Immunology of Trichinellosis

The review describes different aspects of the host immune response to Trichinella. The role of antibodies, T cells, mast cells, eosinophils and neutrophils, respectively, in immune reaction to this nematode is considered, in the light of the recent data derived from experimental models, both in vivo and in vitro. A section is also devoted to the principal escape mechanisms of host immune response, described in Trichinella, some of which only are shared by other parasites, some others peculiar of this parasite. The antigenic composition of the different stages is the topic of another section, which wants to give an overview of the main antigens described up to now. Finally, the perspectives for vaccination are discussed.