Helminth Infections and their Impact on Global Public Health

Helminths are long-lived multicellular organisms that have co-evolved with humans over many thousands of years. They are responsible for infections which affect around one third of the human population, at global level. Despite the huge efforts in research during the last years, effective control of helminth infections is still far from optimal standards and the resulting diseases remain neglected. This book aims to give an up-date overview to the epidemiology (including molecular typing), specific biological, immunological and immunopathological aspects, diagnosis and perspectives of control of the most common helminth infections. Front Matter....Pages i-xiii Diversity and History as Drivers of Helminth Systematics and Biology....Pages 1-28 Paleoparasitology of Helminths....Pages 29-47 Schistosomiasis....Pages 49-92 Fascioliasis....Pages 93-122 Clonorchiasis and Opisthorchiasis....Pages 123-152 Echinococcosis....Pages 153-200 Taeniosis and Cysticercosis....Pages 201-227 Trichinellosis....Pages 229-273 Soil-Transmitted Helminthiasis....Pages 275-297 Strongyloides stercoralis and Strongyloidosis....Pages 299-324 Anisakiasis....Pages 325-365 Lymphatic and Tissue Filariasis....Pages 367-409 Dirofilaria Infections in Humans and Other Zoonotic Filarioses....Pages 411-424 Toxocariasis....Pages 425-460 Angiostrongyloidosis....Pages 461-477 Can the Study of Helminths Be Fruitful for Human Diseases?....Pages 479-502 This book gives an up-to-date overview of the epidemiology (including molecular typing), specific biological, immunological and immunopathological aspects, diagnosis and perspectives of control of the most common helminth human infections. Helminths are long-lived multicellular organisms that have co-evolved with humans over many thousands of years. They are responsible for infections which affect around one third of the human population, at global level. Despite the huge efforts in research during the last years, effective control of helminth infections is still far from optimal standards and the resulting diseases remain neglected.