Abstract
We present evidence that the dog hookworm (Ancylostoma caninum) is underutilised in the study of host-parasite interactions, particularly as a proxy for the human-hookworm relationship. The inability to passage hookworms through all life stages in vitro means that adult stage hookworms have to be harvested from the gut of their definitive hosts for ex vivo research. This makes study of the human-hookworm interface difficult for technical and ethical reasons. The historical association of humans, dogs and hookworms presents a unique triad of positive evolutionary pressure to drive the A. caninum-canine interaction to reflect that of the human-hookworm relationship. Here we discuss A. caninum as a proxy for human hookworm infection and situate this hookworm model within the current research agenda, including the various ‘omics’ applications and the search for next generation biologics to treat a plethora of human diseases. Historically, the dog hookworm has been well described on a physiological and biochemical level, with an increasing understanding of its role as a human zoonosis. With its similarity to human hookworm, the recent publications of hookworm genomes and other omics databases, as well as the ready availability of these parasites for ex vivo culture, the dog hookworm presents itself as a valuable tool for discovery and translational research.
Highlights
We present evidence that the dog hookworm (Ancylostoma caninum) is underutilised in the study of host-parasite interactions, as a proxy for the human-hookworm relationship
Domestication has meant that the unique evolutionary relationships between dogs and humans can be exploited as natural models for human diseases, notably from our perspective, the parasitic helminth infections of humans
There are a number of available models for human hookworm infection; all of these models have limitations
Summary
We present evidence that the dog hookworm (Ancylostoma caninum) is underutilised in the study of host-parasite interactions, as a proxy for the human-hookworm relationship. The ideal model for human hookworm infection should reflect the pathophysiology of the helminth-host interaction and be experimentally accessible.
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