COVID-19 vaccines remain effective despite helminth-induced immune modulation

MedicalXpress | يول 20, 2026

More than a quarter of the world's population is affected by helminth infections, which can profoundly alter the immune system. In a preclinical study, researchers found that mRNA- and protein-based SARS-CoV-2 vaccines effectively protected Schistosoma-infected mice against the virus, despite the mice's distinct immune response profiles. These results suggest that chronic helminth infection does not necessarily compromise vaccine-induced protection. The findings were published in the journal Frontiers in Immunology.