This work is interesting because it provides a way to link standing immune phenotypes with disease susceptibility! We are now doing experiments to validate this model, and see what immune metrics we can use to predict parasite burdens and infection duration. So, stay tuned!

We find that small differences in the initial immune conditions (e.g. the state of T-helper cell polarization) and parasite dose can lead to vastly different infection outcomes depending on the strength of the feedback mechanisms.

We modeled the dynamics of parasite biomass of Trichuris muris, a gastroinstestinal parasite, and its host's (the house mouse) T-cell response to see how initial immune conditions, parasite biomass and T-helper cell activation determine the persistence thresholds of the parasite.

In this paper, we propose that Allee effects are intrinsic features of the mammalian immune response because of the positive feedback loops that govern the immune response. These allee effects would determine whether an infection is acute (and cleared quickly) vs. chronic.

#NewPaperAlert@grahammunology.bsky.social! In this paper we use a mathematical model to connect immune dynamics and infection duration.

Immunological feedback loops generate parasite persistence thresholds that explain variation in infection duration | Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences

Infection duration affects individual host fitness and between-host transmission. Whether an infection is cleared or becomes chronic depends on the complex interaction between host immune responses an...