Contribution of innate immune responses towards resistance to African trypanosome infections.

During the course of African trypanosomiasis, an intact monocytic cell system appears to be crucial for the initiation and maintenance of antitrypanosome responses and could be critical for the survival of trypanosome-infected host. Monocytic cells in turn require support from other components of the innate immunity as well as adaptive immunity for effective and sustained control of trypanosome infections. In this review, the contribution of specific components of the innate immune system towards resistance to African trypanosomes is discussed in the context of host survival and the ideas presented are expected to stimulate more debate and research on host innate mechanisms of defence against African trypanosomiasis.