Simon M <S.P.Mann1 at student.derby.ac.uk> wrote in article
<347C3D6F.73C52246 at student.derby.ac.uk>...
> Does anybody have any information on Asthma with respect to Parasite
> induced conditions?
> help greatly appreciated
> Sim
>See Hewitt, Brown, Hart and Pritchard, 1995, Journal of Experimental
Medicine vol. 182 p. 1537. House dust mite faeces contains a protease
enzyme which cuts a molecule called CD23 off the surface of cells. This
could potentially disrupt immune responses and cause overproduction of IgE,
leading to allergy. House dust mites are not parasites, but parasitic worms
such as hookworms make similar proteases.
Andy Fell
