Parasitic worms downregulate inflammatory host reactions, thus avoiding elimination by immune effector mechanisms, and dampening immunopathology. A few worm molecules have been described and were shown to powerfully suppress unrelated inflammatory responses. These components address elements of signalling pathways related to innate immune responses. Therefore, polymorphisms of receptors, signalling molecules and promoters of innate immune cells could explain differences in the clinical phenotypes of filarial infections and are studied within the project.