Parasitic infection
Parasitic infections remain prevalent, particularly in the developing world. However, increasing global travel poses a risk of contracting parasitic infections while travelling through endemic areas and therefore all medical practitioners should remain aware of parasitic infections and investigate for them when appropriate. Increased understanding of the relationship of parasites with the immune system has led to some progress with therapeutics but this still lags behind other infectious diseases. In this chapter we outline the musculoskeletal manifestations of parasitic infection and updated therapeutic approaches to these infections. The burden of disease may change with increasing use of potent biologic immunosuppressants and global travel, as seen in HIV-related immunosuppression, but as yet no significant increased incidence of parasitic infection has been reported within 'rheumatic diseases' cohorts around the world.