Apicomplexan infections in the gut.

ABSTRACT

Toxoplasma gondii and Cryptosporidium parvum are intracellular protozoan parasites that establish infection through the small intestinal bowel after the ingestion of contaminated food products. These Apicomplexan parasites have emerged as an important cause of chronic and fatal disease in immunodeficient individuals, in addition to being investigated as possible triggers of inflammatory bowel disease. T. gondii disseminates to the brain and other tissues after infection, whereas C. parvum remains localized to the intestine. In the following review, we will discuss the pathogenesis of these parasitic diseases in the small intestine, the site of initial invasion. Themes include the sequence of invasion, the structure of Th1 immunity provoked by these parasites and the contribution of intestinal microbiota to the development of the mucosal immune response.