Purpose and Overview

Helminth infections have shaped human biology for millennia and remain among the most common chronic infections worldwide. This presentation will review why helminth infections remain relevant to clinicians in the modern United States, including their diagnostic and management challenges, and examine how these parasites persist despite repeated immune exposure. The talk will explore the balance between protective immunity and immune tolerance, introduce the concept of “trained tolerance,” and discuss how helminth-induced immune regulation may influence reinfection, tissue injury, and responses to unrelated inflammatory or immune challenges. Ongoing research will be used to illustrate how understanding host-parasite interactions may inform future approaches to vaccines, diagnostics, and immune-based therapies.