Trichuris murisresearch revisited: a journey through time

Abstract

SUMMARYThe mouse whipwormTrichuris murishas long been used as a tractable model of human Trichuriasis. Here we look back at the history ofT. murisresearch; from the definition of the species and determination of its life cycle, through to the complex immune responses that we study today. We highlight the key research papers that have developed our understanding of immune responses to this parasite, and reflect on how original concepts have been transformed, as our knowledge of immunology has grown. Although we have a good understanding of host–parasite interactions in the context of the underlying cellular immunology, there are still many aspects of the biology of theTrichurisparasite that remain undefined. We predict that advances in parasite biology will be key in the future development of new and improved treatments for Trichuriasis.