Schistosomiasis, a disease caused by parasitic worms, infects more than 200 million people worldwide, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The disease is most commonly found in Asia, Africa, and South America, especially in areas where the freshwater snails that harbor the parasite are abundant.

Individual schistosomes are long-lived and cause chronic infections. Disease develops when the parasite’s eggs become trapped in organs, such as the liver, rather than passing through the body, where they elicit hypersensitivity granulomas that cause disease in the urogenital system, liver and intestines. While the mortality rate of schistosome infection is relatively low, the subsequent devastating chronic illness greatly impacts an individual's ability to work or perform daily activities required to function productively.
 
Researchers have found that the immune system's response to schistosomes peaks shortly after initial infection and then tapers off, despite the persistence of the parasite, a process referred to as immunomodulation. Trudeau scientists are deciphering the cellular and molecular pathways responsible for immunomodulation. They hope to uncover methods to boost immune response in these cases, which should lead to improved treatments for the millions afflicted with schistosomiasis.

Their work may have bearing on other diseases as well. Some facets of the immune response caused by schistosome infection are similar to immune responses observed in diseases common in the developed world, including asthma, allergy and ulcerative colitis. By identifying these similarities, Trudeau researchers hope to point to new treatments and therapies for a host of diseases associated with problems in immune system regulation.