As an immunologist originally interested in immunity to viruses and now working
with helminths I've given this matter some thought. I checked out the literature a
few years ago - the "virus like particles" were not any more characterised than
that, they looked to me a little like herpes viruses but I'm not an electron
microscopist.
Most helminths are "over dispersed" i.e. have a rare and clustered distribution.
This would present problems for the transmission and hence maintenance of most
groups of viruses. My guess would be that if helminth viruses exist they will be
from those groups that can either integrate into the host's genetic material
(retroviruses) or can form latent infections by some other mechanism - as
herpesviruses do. Perhaps it's time for a bit of blue skies research looking for
herpes transcripts in helminth neurons?
Alan Trudgett
"I put my head down and closed my mouth. I started the walking forwards into
that night."
- Morvern Callar
On Thu, 18 Nov 1999 06:27:22 -0500 Dr. Peter W. Pappas wrote:
> From: Dr. Peter W. Pappas <pappas.3 at osu.edu>
> Date: Thu, 18 Nov 1999 06:27:22 -0500
> Subject: Re: Pathogens of pathogens question
> To: parasite at hgmp.mrc.ac.uk>> This is far from my area of expertise, so I can not give a definitive
> answer. However, I remember seeing a number of articles in the literature
> reporting on "virus-like particles" in various species of helminths. I do
> not know if these "virus-like particles" have every been shown to actually
> be viruses, and I do not know if pathogenic bacteria have every been found
> in helminth parasites.
>>> ***************************************
> Dr. Peter W. Pappas
> Department of EEOB
> The Ohio State University
> 1735 Neil Avenue
> Columbus, OH 43210
> Phone: 614-292-2746
> FAX: 614-292-2030
> e-mail: pappas.3 at osu.edu> ***************************************
> Russell Farris <tryggvi at email.msn.com> wrote in message
> news:uOOUr7YM$GA.290 at cpmsnbbsa05...> > I know there are viruses that prey on bacteria. Chlamydiae have been found
> > in protozoans. Are there other examples of pathogens having pathogens. Are
> > there, for example, bacteria that attack helminth worms? Thanks.
> >
> > Russ Farris
> >
> >
>>
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